


The Science of the Boy named Luffy (ルフィーと呼んでいる男の科学)

by TheEternalEmpress



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Cat/Human Hybrids, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Genetics, Injury Recovery, M/M, Might add other pairings if other chapters get published, So Roger is dead, but Rouge is alive so
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-22
Updated: 2018-05-19
Packaged: 2018-06-03 19:18:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 36,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6623008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheEternalEmpress/pseuds/TheEternalEmpress
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For kits, first impressions last forever. Ace tries to give a good impression to his new neighbor, who is a kit, but one thing leads to another and he almost scratches his eye off. (Ace learns, albeit bit slowly and with a lot of confusion, that the logic of whatever his textbooks tell him does not work on Luffy. He's different.) HumanNeko!AceLu. Alpha-Omegaverse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! My friend and I concocted this AU and this happened. This is actually the lowest word-count I have, which makes me worried because I'm comfortable writing at least 9000 words. But, I was dead-beat tired the whole day and a bit distracted and a little bit uninspired so this happened. Anyway, this is a three-shot series, so stay tuned to the other installments :3
> 
> This is an AU in which everyone's half-human and half-cat. There are Alphas, Betas and Omegas. Each person has a feline specie descent (their feline of origin) and it depends on your classifcation (the Alpha-Omega system). All Alphas have jungle wild cats as their specie descent; betas are domesticated cats and breeds; and Omegas are the rare wild cats. Children inherit the feline specie descent of the parent they have the same classification e.g. Parent A is a Beta and Parent B is an Omega. Child A is an Omega therefore he inherits Parent B's feline specie dscent. More of the AU will be explained in the story.

His mother always tells him that he is a good and smart child, and that makes Ace sport a blush as red as a ripe tomato.

Ace is a young kit of eight-years old, yet the others are amazed that Ace knows Elementary Genetics of the Grade 6th level. It's not because Ace is a natural-born genius or anything of that sort, it's just that Ace likes to read and the only books he is willing to read is his Genetics book because they have colorful pictures and letters. More so, he has no trouble memorizing terms or definitions at all, so he can easily remember terms and words that Grade 6 students use in their classes. Sometimes, when he doesn't understand some words or concepts, he turns to his Mother dearest and she dutifully teaches him the concepts and even adds some trivia about the lesson. To be honest, he will not have been able to understand the concepts – just remember the terms – without his Mother's help, so he can't completely own his achievement when his mother played such a huge role in his learning process.

Nonetheless, his Mother will pet him between his cat ears and proudly tell him 'Good job!' whenever he gets a perfect score in his tests, as if she has no part to play in this. On the other hand, Ace will be embarrassingly be happy and swears he will do his best, so that he doesn't have to ask his Mother for lessons from time to time. He simply wants to make her proud.

Ace loves his mother – that itself is an understatement. Ace will do anything so that his mother doesn't have to feel lonely for being a widow or feel tired for working as a waiter in Makino's tavern. Ace's mother is an Omega of the Caracal feline specie descent, but she is strong and independent and undoubtedly _beautiful_ , and Ace is proud of her in every ways possible. He knows his mother feels the same way to him, but sometimes, he knows that his mother gets disappointed and more tired when Ace gets into fights – Ace can't help it if he's too much of a hothead and a wild-spirit like his father. His mother has expressed her desire for Ace making more friends besides Sabo – because Sabo is his only _guaranteed_ friend in the whole village.

So, when his mother excitedly tells him that an old friend of hers will move to that creepy, abandoned house next to theirs, he takes this chance to make her mother proud again by making friends with the kit of this old friend.

Ace goes back to his textbooks and reads something about building social relationships between kits. His textbook says that first impressions last forever for kits, and if he wants to make good friends with his new neighbor kit, he has to give the latter a good impression. That way, he can get along with his new neighbor and at the same time, make his mother proud.

Ace spends a day with Sabo, concocting a plan to give a good impression to his new neighbor.

With a flawless plan in mind, Ace sleeps next to his mother contentedly, excited for the next day to come.

* * *

Ace is eating breakfast when it starts. His cat ears catch the familiar roar of a car engine and men carrying heavy luggage, and a very unfamiliar sound of a loud shriek and an angry grandpa marching to the house next door.

He jolts from his seat and scurries to the window despite his unfinished breakfast to get a better look of the scene. His black ears and tail – the textbook calls it 'Premature' because his the traits classification and line are still not shown by his feline features – perks and stiffens as his nose catches a familiar scent, the scent that he smells on Makino's husband.

The old man is an Alpha, and that kit is probably his.

Ace's brown eyes narrow.

Omegas are treasured and revered people, but that doesn't mean everyone treats them that way. Ace knows and gets wind the news of Alphas from neighboring cities coming to other villages to rape Omegas or Betas to sate their heat. He will not have believed the news – or he will have refused to believe – if it isn't for the fact that he has seen the act first-hand: When a guest by the name of Bluejam has tried to convince Makino to end her shift in the tavern, so they can have _fun_ together. The implication makes Ace sick to the stomach and he will've punched the guy if it isn't for Shanks beating him to it.

The experience made him cautious to any new faces in town, especially when they're Alphas and their scents are as strong as than Shanks' – and Shanks has a _particularly_ strong scent.

Ace briefly remembers reading about Alpha scent and it being a symbol of their physical strength. If some Alpha has a strong scent like Shanks – who, debatably, is the strongest Alpha he knows – then he's sure the person is bound for trouble.

Ace will not let this stranger ever have a chance of even _speaking_ to his mother. This person has to go through his dead body, first.

The young kit feels the familiar scent and warmth of his mother's body as she hugs him from behind. "Ace, what's the matter? Your claws are coming out." she gently says, and Ace immediately retracts them as he notices the newly-formed scratch marks the window sill. He sees the worry in her eyes and the ugly frown in her pretty face, and he immediately feels guilty for making her feel that way. He turns around and hugs her back, so she can carry him like she did when he was a baby. She carries him with ease despite him being eight-years old.

"Some weird guys are out." He says as she brings him down back on his seat, to finish the meal that he ungraciously interrupted.

His mother blinks. "Weird fellows?" Then, her face lit up in recognition and smiles. "Oh, you mean Mr. Garp?" she says. "He's our new neighbor!"

Ace almost chokes on his spit as his mother speaks of a name – this strange Alpha's name – with warmth and recognition. " _Garp?"_ he exclaims. Then, he speaks back in a lower and quieter voice. "Our neighbor is an Alpha?"

The sounds of arguments roar outside as his mother smiles all too well-knowingly. "Yes. He is the father-in-law of one of my closest friends and works as an top-notch Admiral in the Marines," she says, and she closes her eyes to reminiscence old memories. "Isn't that great? A Marine and his kit will be our new neighbors!"

 _No,_ Ace wants to scream. An Alpha will be moving next to them and he doesn't seem to be with a mate; His mother is an Omega and a widow to boot. Ace isn't stupid to think that _nothing_ will be coming out from the two. Nature is relentless and cruel and _greener_ – both the color and implication – version of cupid, and she will continue the course of life whether Ace likes it or not.

Ace refuses to hand his mother over _anyone_ ; Ace isn't like his father who failed his job of protecting his mate by _dying._

Ace briefly remembers a part in the textbook wherein Omegas abandon their kits from their previous mate if a new mate claims them, and the freckled child pushes the thought away before his fear starts to claw from the recesses of his mind.

Sensing his worry, his mother brings him to her chest and strokes his black locks. "Don't worry Ace, they're good people," she says. "They're a little rough on the edges, but I know you'll grow to like them soon."

The comforting presence of his mother pushes his dark thoughts away. He knows that Alphas and Omegas have a tendency to link, and, even though the thought of 'Garp' and his Mother going out together is an icky thought, it might happen. But, if his Mother tells him not to worry, then, Ace shouldn't worry… at least, for now. He trusts his Mother as much as he believes what the textbook says, and he'll take on her word until his new neighbors try to do something funny to his Mother.

That old man might be an Alpha, but that doesn't mean Ace won't go down without a fight.

His mother smiles as she senses Ace's worry diminish. "How about we visit them after breakfast, hm? I'm sure they'll appreciate a sweet early morning visit," then, she adds. "And I'm sure Luffy will be happy to meet a new playmate."

The name 'Luffy' rings in his head before the events outside flash in his mind. 'Luffy', the new kit who he needs to give a good impression to. 'Luffy', his new neighbor who is the grandson of a Marine Alpha. 'Luffy', his new chance of making his mother proud of him.

He remembers a young boy – probably five or six years old – being dragged by the sleeve of his tank top, screaming and crying to go home. A familiar straw hat rests on his head, too big and too wide for his small frame, so Ace couldn't see his face or his cat ears.

Something stirs inside Ace – something _familiar_ and a feeling that has been, for so long, passive until his eyes meet 'Luffy'.

 _Annoyance,_ Ace thinks as he remembers all the people he has fought with, those snot-nosed brats that are now afraid of him. His first impression on these brats reflects so much of his first impression of 'Luffy'. _This kid is going to be another pest,_ Ace thinks as he munches ever so slightly harder on his bacon.

But, unlike those snot-nosed brats that he can push around, he can't do that to this new kit. He has to be nice to him; he can't fight with him.

And for that, this new kit has become two-times more annoying.

**OOOOoooOOOO**

The house looks a bit old, but beautiful at the outside. When they step inside the house, it's another story.

The moment he steps into the room, he wants to go out. The house is old, dusty and filled with cobwebs, like any typical home that hasn't been used for a long time. It smells of mold and _old man smell,_ and Ace can't imagine why someone will be willing to live here. It's a dump!

Unlike Ace, however, his mother looks at the house fondly and walks further inside like an old routine. Ace briefly wonders if his Mother has been here before.

When they reach the living room, they see Garp unpacking some boxes. The grumpy looks on his face lights up as his eyes gazed at his Mother's figure. Ace fights the urge to bristle.

Ah, Rogue! It's nice to see you again!" the old man, 'Garp', says as he hugs his mother, and Ace lets out the urge and bristles. "You haven't change at all! Your freckles are still there!" And he lets out a hearty laugh, too loud for Ace's sensitive ears. If he laughs like that always, then half of Fuusha will be deaf already!

"It's also good to see you again, Mr. Garp," His Mother says, in a very gentle manner that contrasts with Garp's. "It's been a long time since you've returned to Fuusha. How is the family?"

The old man dims and sighs. "Stupid son is stupid, as always," he says. "But, it doesn't matter. I have his kit here and that's all that matters." He grins and looks over at Ace. "So, he's your kit, huh? Vase, was it? He's pretty much all grown up!"

"It's _Ace,_ " Ace snarls, earning the ire of his Mother, but a hearty laugh from Garp.

It's not Ace's fault for giving the old Alpha a bad impression of him; Gard already has. He's merely following nature.

"I like him. He's got a good eye," Garp announces. "Kid, want to join the Marines?"

Ace furrows his eyebrows. "Hell no."

"Ace!" His mother scolds, but Garp just laughs Ace's rudeness.

"Don't bother, Rogue. He's a good kid – I can clearly tell. You were watching me, weren't you? To see if I was a threat or not?" When Ace returns a baffled stare, Garp's grin widens. "You'd make a good Marine, brat. I suggest rethinking your answer."

His mother sighs and crosses her arms, her pointed look shifting towards Garp. "You always never accept 'no' as an answer, do you?"

"Guhahaha! Of course, how then would these children realize that they're meant to be Marines?" Garp says.

Before his Mother can even retort, a sound of falling objects and a yelp of pain resonated at the ceiling, causing some dust bits to fall. Ace gives out a disgusted look on the falling debris. "What was that?" his mother asks.

Garp frowns and glares at the ceiling. "OI LUFFY, DON'T MAKE A MESS UP THERE OR YOU'LL GET ANOTHER FIST FROM ME!" he shouts, and the ceiling lets out a nervous wail before another sets of sounds emitted.

For a brief moment, Ace pities this pipsqueak kit named Luffy for having such a loud and violent grandfather.

"Ace," his mother calls, causing him to turn to her. "Why don't you go upstairs and meet Luffy, while Garp and I will catch up with the times?"

Ace immediately objects. No way will he leave this mother alone to this Alpha. "But – "

"We're going have a grown-up talk," she explains, her voice firm but gentle. "And you know the rules of grown-up talks, yes?"

 _No children should ever be present or listening to grown-up talk,_ Ace thinks as he hesitantly nods. He slowly walks up the staircase feeling the keen eyes of his mother bearing at the back of his head, ensuring that he is out of vicinity. But, when Ace is out of sight, Ace stays at the last step of the staircase to hear their conversation. His mother begins to talk: "Garp, where is D – "

"Who are you?"

Ace whips his head, tense and alarmed, having to be caught red-handed. His cat ears and tail perks, but soon lowers as Ace stares at the figure before him – a child with big black eyes, a wide hat on his head, and a finger in his nostril.

It is the kit, Luffy.

Ace immediately feels his anger flare for letting himself get surprised by a mere kit – a kit who's _younger_ than him, but he suppresses it when he remembers his objective.

 _Give the meat. Talk a bit. Scram._ He hears Sabo in his mind. _It's not a flawless plan, but if he's like you, then that's what I would do._

"What are you doing in my house?" the kit, Luffy, asks.

Ace gives out a strained smile before bringing out a three slices of ham wrapped in foil from his pocket.

"Here, you – "

" _MMMEEAAATTT!"_ The younger kit says before he rushes upstairs before Ace can even finish.

Ace blinks before he chases the kit upstairs. What he sees at the upper floor made him cringe.

Dust particles float around as boxes and their contents are scattered along the floor. The windows are covered with moldy curtains. The whole room smells of the _old man_ smell and Ace is pretty sure someone _died_ here. Ace wants to sit in the cleanest corner possible – the staircase – and brave everything until the grown-up talk is over.

His cat ears twitches as his mother's voice got a tad bit louder.

"You're nice, I like you," the kit says as he sits on the pile of rubble. The meat in the foil is gone. "I'm Luffy and I'm going to be the Pirate King!"

Right. "My name is Ace and I'm…your new neighbor." Ace simply says, cautious from Luffy and from whatever that lurks inside this house. "Well, I'm glad that we – "

"Wanna see Chopper?" Luffy says as his ears and tail perk up. But, even before Ace can register the question, Luffy dives into the pile of rubble to search for 'Chopper' – whatever that is.

However, in the process, Luffy starts throwing the things that aren't 'Chopper' out of the rubble and into Ace's way. That's where the trouble begins.

"O-oi!" Ace squeaks as he dodges what it looks like a wet cloth. "Be care – "

Ace winces as something hits something hard, but cringes when his hand touches something soft and…stinky. His eyes widen in horror when he lifts his hand and see it stained with green.

Something inside him snaps.

By the time Luffy finds Chopper, a reindeer stuff toy, Luffy is back inside the rubble with an angry Ace towering over him.

And without warning, he slashes on Luffy's cheek.

Everything then passes by like a blur.

Now, Ace sits on his chair very timidly as his mother sits on her chair, staring at her son with utter disappointment. Ace keeps his head low as he looks at his knuckles, covered with sanitized scratches – the scratches courtesy of Luffy and the sanitization courtesy of his mother. He can't look at her in the eyes; his eyes and throat are burning and if he sees the disappointment and tiredness in his mother's eyes, he'll cry.

He doesn't want to cry, not in front of his mother.

"Ace, look at me." She speaks, the gentleness gone. She sounds firm and powerful, fitting for a Caracal specie descent that she is. When Ace raises her head, he can see the golden glints in her eyes. "Why did you scratch Luffy earlier?"

Ace keeps silent. To be honest, it was his another infamous outburst of anger. He really doesn't want to tell his mother that he got too angry again and launched the first attack. His mother will get more disappointed that she already is.

However, when he feels his mother's eyes bear into his skin, he surrenders his silence. "H-he hit me with something icky …" he answers. "And I...jumped on him."

His mother stares at him, breathes, and quietly sighs. Ace can already see the tiredness in her eyes of the familiar situations she has endured for many years. "Did Luffy deliberately hit you?" she asks. When he shakes his head, she speaks "Ace, when someone hits you with something accidentally, you don't resort to violence. Luffy didn't mean it, and you know that. I cannot tolerate the behavior you showed to Luffy – he was a young kit. He had no chance of defending himself from you."

 _I know,_ Ace thinks. _I know that now._ He cringes at the memory of his earlier anger outburst. A deep gash below Luffy's eye immediately appeared and started to bleed and that's when Luffy started crying. When Ace saw the sight of blood, he knew he went too far.

"I-I'm sorry…" he murmurs. He feels the tears climbing from the corner of his eyes as the burn in his throat grows more painful. "…I'm really sorry, Mom…"

The stern and pointed look on his mother's face melts as she watches a tear escape from Ace's eyes. She stands from her chair and reaches to Ace, who immediately jumped into her embrace the moment he opens her arms. "I know, Ace, I know…" she says as she tries to calm the boy down. "Luffy is okay now. It wasn't a grave injury. The doctors say he'll be fine in no time. And as for Garp, well, I managed to calm him down."

Ace cries more as he puts more burdens into his mother's shoulders just because he can't control his anger. Today, his mother was supposed to visit close friends who became their neighbors; Ace ruined that for her.

"I-I'm really s-sorry…" he sobs. He feels so sorry for disappointing his mother like this.

"I know, I know…" His mother repeats. She removes Ace's face from her chest and wipes his tears with his dress, then flashes him with her warm and gentle smiles. "Tomorrow, we'll go and say sorry to Garp and Luffy, yes?"

Ace automatically nods.

When he sleeps next to his mother, he peeks through the window, just to see what was happening over at his neighbor's house.

The whole house is dark except for one of the windows at the second-story, which has an open light. He finds Luffy, watching through the same window.

Their eyes briefly meet.

Seeing the bandage below Luffy's right eye, Ace goes under the covers and ignores how sad those big eyes are.

Ace uses the whole night to think of a way to apologize to Luffy.

* * *

With his mother at his right, Ace gulps as he stares at Luffy, who is flanked with Garp at his left. The grandfather is still angry over what happened yesterday, while Luffy…well…

Luffy stares at Ace like yesterday.

Ace is irked by it.

"My son has something to say to your grandson," his mother announces.

"Oh now," Garp says as he picks his nose. "I do hope he won't claw my grandson's eye out again."

His mother's smile briefly turns into a frown before coming back as a smile again. "I'm sure that won't happen again."

The silence of the adults signals Ace to continue on with whatever he is planning. Ace breathes in and out before he steps in front of Luffy and bows.

"I'm sorry for yesterday! It won't happen again!" Ace says, but he knows that simply apologies don't work on kits. He knows what he did. He ruined his first impression with Luffy. And since first impressions always last forever to kits, Ace isn't expecting total redemp –

"Okay. I forgive you." Luffy says, nonchalantly.

"Okay, I unde – " Wait, _what._

Ace looks at Luffy like he had insulted his mother. Luffy is now beaming at him, showing all of his pearly whites.

"Do you want to see Chopper now?" Luffy asks, but does not give Ace the chance to answer as he pulls the older kit inside.

Ace has to stop Luffy by pulling the younger kit towards him. Luffy looks at Ace questioningly.

"Wait, you're not mad?" Ace asks, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion. "At least, not a bit?"

"No. Because I already forgave you." Luffy says, like it is an obvious answer. "Come on, let's go!"

As Luffy pulls Ace upstairs, Ace stares at Luffy and ponders how Luffy isn't mad at him.

It isn't in accordance to what he has read in the textbooks.

It's… _weird._

**OOOOoooOOOO**

After getting hit by Garp's Fist of Love (Death) as a way of forgiveness of the old Alpha, Luffy has become Ace's playmate and they always walk together to school and to home. Ace has no escape since he owes Luffy so much for almost blinding the poor kit and Luffy is happy and excited for being with Ace since Ace is his first friend in the village.

Ace, however, isn't as excited. It's been weeks and Ace starts to find his new job as 'playmate' as annoying.

It is partially because Ace finds Luffy generally annoying since he can't drive the kit away because his mother expects him to be good and all, and Ace goes anywhere he wants and Luffy follows him like a mouse to the mouse piper. Furthermore, Luffy is such a blabbermouth and Ace is already wishing he is deaf at the first few minutes of their conversation. But, it is mostly because its irritating how Luffy is still happy and contented when Ace has started ignoring him after a few months of being together, when he plays with the other kits while Luffy sits on the bench, when Sabo and Ace keep him out of their conversations

It's weird.

Ace remembers from his lessons that kits needed to be socially active. They need friends and family and other people to talk to everyday – Luffy has none of that. His grandfather Garp is seldom at home, Luffy has zero friends besides Ace, and the person whom he regularly talks to – which is him – never responds. Luffy should be _unhappy._ Even from the beginning, Luffy should stay clear from Ace even from their very first meeting because of the incident. Luffy shouldn't stick to a person who tried hurting him!

Yet, here we are, Luffy tailing Ace like a mouse to a mouse piper.

It's weird, and he doesn't like it. Can't Luffy take a hint on how _weird_ this whole set-up is?

"Yo, Ace! Ready to play?" Sabo asks, eager and excited for their daily basketball plays. When his sights turn behind Ace, he smiles even wider. "So, Luffy came again, huh?"

"Yo!" Luffy eagerly waves at the people at the basketball court. When people see him, they immediately call him 'Monkey' like an old routine. Ace fights the urge to growl. Everyone calls Luffy a monkey partially because he acts like one and mostly because it's his literal surname – Monkey.

Ace will have joined them in their chorus if it isn't for the fact that Luffy doesn't seemed to mind being teased and bullied like this.

It's weird and it sets him off in a _bad_ way.

"Come on, guys, break it off!" he hears Sabo yell, and everyone gradually stops teasing him.

Ace feels a feeling similar to relief when his playmates stop teasing the smaller kit. The smaller kit turns to Ace with big and bright eyes. "Can I play this time, Ace? Can I, Can I?" Luffy asks as he bounces. Luffy looks so happy despite being teased just a while ago and the younger kit remains oblivious by the hostile glares some of Ace's classmates are giving. It's ticking Ace off. _Why can't you notice, you little shit,_ Ace thinks.

"No, you suck. Stay on the bench." Ace orders, keeping his thoughts silent. Like usual, Luffy deflates and walks back to the bench with a head hung low. The freckled kit smirks when Luffy sits on the bench, out of his way. He'll soon cheer up anyway. "Great, let's start!"

"Aren't you a bit too mean to him?" Sabo whispers as he teams up with Ace and some kids named Kidd, Law and Zoro. "He comes but you never let him play."

" _We_ never let him play," Ace corrects. "Besides, he sucks anyway! Why would you want to play with a crybaby like him?"

Sabo shrugs. "I'm just saying…He follows you around but you always ignore him. Why don't you try being nice to him for once? I feel sorry for him sometimes…"

Ace frowns. "He can handle himself!" Ace knows that's a lie. Textbooks never lie. "He can entertain himself for all I care! I just got roped by his grandfather to be his babysitter. As long as he's safe, then there's nothing wrong."

Before Sabo could even retort, the ball is passed the game begins. As usual, Ace and Sabo dominate the whole play, scoring shots with their alley-loops, Ace's dunks and Sabo's three point shots. In the midst of the intense play, Luffy cheers for them. "Go Ace! Go Sabo!"

"Shut up, monkey!" one of the opponent team yells.

Luffy completely ignores him and continues to cheer.

Ace gets momentarily distracted and Sanji – one of Sabo's classmates – steals the ball from him and scores for the opposing team. Ace growl and tells the opposing team to be quiet, although they blame Luffy for being too noisy. Ace opts to ignore them, though.

After a few seconds, Ace scores for his team and shouts in glee. His team high-fives him and Luffy cheer for him louder. In the end, Ace and Sabo's team wins, much to the chagrin of the opposing team. While the kids, Zoro and Sanji, bicker about who scored the most, the other kids prepare to go home.

"You guys were so awesome!" Luffy exclaims.

"Thanks Lu," Sabo says, and Ace glares at the blonde for even replying at the younger kit – or for calling the annoying kit 'Lu'. Who even does that?!

"Come on, let's go home," Ace calls and Luffy bounces in glee for being noticed. As Ace and Luffy get pass the opponent team, Ace hears them sneer and cuss at Luffy like a plague.

"Stupid Monkey, too loud that we lost the game!"

Ace clenches his fist and continues on. He hears Sabo telling the opposing team to stay away from Luffy.

"And what the heck is with that hat anyway?"

Ace bites his lip and turns around.

When he sees one of their hands shot out to reach for Luffy's hat, Ace pushes Luffy down and punches the person who tried to get the hat.

His treasure.

The annoying things that spout from Luffy's mouth comes flashing in his mind and Ace realizes, in horror, that he has memorized every single detail of it.

" _Hi! My name is Luffy and I'm going to be the pirate King!" "Shanks is so cool and nice and brave and one time he saved me from this gangster people, and after he beat them up he gave me this hat!" "I don't like how Shanks makes fun of me though! One time, I told him I was a real man but he fooled me in drinking milk so I looked like a kid!" "Your mom is so pretty! I like the dots on her face – or were they called freckles? Dimples? Pimples? I don't know so I just call them dots instead. The dots on your face are also pretty too!" "You know there were a bunch of kids who started calling me Monkey yesterday! I don't why but they sound so weeeeiiirrrdd!" "Hey, you know what! I saved up a lot from my allowance so I can buy a basketball! You say I suck so I practice every day just so I can play with you guys! You and Sabo are so cool!" "You know Ace, I always feel sad when I'm alone, but I'm with you I'm so happy! I wish you could talk to me though…" "I love this hat more than the worlds ever combined! But if I had to choose between the hat and Ace, I don't know which to choose shishishishi!"_

And at the same time, the anger that he suppressed for months – on the people that called her Monkey to his grandfather who left him – snaps like a twig. "Don't you fucking _dare_ touch Luffy's hat!"

A brawl erupts, but after a few punches and kicks, Ace is left standing and holding Luffy's hat. Anger is still written in his face.

Luffy looks at Ace, frightened and curious at the same time, while Sabo looks at Ace warningly.

"Ace…" Sabo starts as Ace reaches out to Luffy's collar and brings the younger kit closer to him.

"What the fuck were you doing?" he screams. " _What the fuck were you doing?!_ Those guys were bullying you and all you could was stand there and take _everything!_ Do you know how annoying is that for me?"

Ace hears Sabo shout, but his eyes and ears are focused on Luffy. The younger kit looks like he is about to cry, yet Ace continues on. "You're not only very stupid for not doing anything about it, but you're also so stupid for following _me!_ For months, I've been ignoring you, yet you keep coming back and following me even though you know I _will never_ respond! You're so stupid for clinging to me even though I will never talk to you, even if you get teased by others, and even if you get hurt! Why can't you understand the simple hint that no-one _wants_ you _here?!_ "

"Ace! That's enough!" Sabo scolds, and Ace sees that Sabo's claws are retracted already. The freckled child feels a little guilty for making Sabo worry and drops the younger kit down on the ground.

Sobs are already raking his small frame.

"I-I know that…" Luffy murmurs. Then, he looks at Ace with the same big and sad eyes the freckled child saw the first night he scratched Luffy's face. "I know that, I know that, I know that! But there isn't anyone as friendly or as cool as you around here!" Luffy shouts. "I stick with you because all my friends are in the city! The other people are mean and Makino and Shanks are grown-ups so they don't count! I want you to be my own friend since you're the only one I always see every day – I don't want to be alone!"

"Luffy…" Sabo whispers as he decides if he should comfort the younger kit or stay still.

Ace clenches his fist. "I _hurt_ you," Ace begins. "I put that scar on your face with my claws. I injured you! You…You're…You're supposed to _avoid_ me!" _In social relationships, the first impressions are always important. For kits trying to socialize, the first is always the lasting impression, which is why a kit must project a good impression in the first meeting. If a kit does something that earns the ire or disdain of the other kit, then there is zero chance for the two kits to bond and form a social relationship._

"Yeah, but you apologized, so that's okay." Luffy sniffs as he wipes his tears away. "I know you didn't mean it."

"I know that! But…this…this isn't right!" Ace yells, pulling his hair. "You're supposed to hate me!"

"But, I don't hate you!" Luffy yells back, remaining firm. "Why would I hate you?"

"Because I scratched you stupid!"

"But, you apologized, so we're okay now!"

"No! That's not how it works!"

"Yes, it is!"

"No, it's not!"

"Yes, it is!"

"No, it's not!"

"Yes, it _is!_ "

"No, it's not – Gah!" Ace scratches his head and frowns. "You are so complicated!"

"And you're confusing!" Luffy huffs.

Ace looks at the young kit, who stares at him with frustrated confusion. The freckled child doesn't get this kit at all! The textbooks say that first impressions last to kits. Luffy should be avoiding him, or hating him, or anything that is equally displeasing since Ace _hurt_ him! Luffy shouldn't be happy near Ace; Luffy shouldn't even be _near_ him! Luffy is a kit! The same logic should apply to him!

And Ace shouldn't be caring about it, because he did not like Luffy when he first saw him. The same logic should also apply to him!

Why isn't it working, though?

Ugh! Looking at Luffy makes him so frustrated and confused!

Ace breathes and calms himself, before looking at Luffy's eyes. "This…this isn't should how it work. For kits, first impressions always last and I hurt you when we first met. So, that should mean that you should be treating me with displeasure because of that experience. It's how it's supposed to be." He explains. "Luffy, you should _hate_ me. When I clawed your face, I gave you a bad impression." _But, you didn't, and that's how everything became weird,_ Ace thinks.

Luffy, however doesn't seem to understand anything that Ace said and tilts his head. "What? Impressions?" he asks "What's that? Can I eat it?"

Ace looks at Luffy like a scientist to a new specimen of stupidity. He doesn't know whether to scream in frustration or have a new-found respect in Luffy's stupidity. In the background, Sabo starts laughing.

"You don't even know what first impressions mean? What are you, six?!" Sabo says, holding his stomach.

Luffy tilts his head. "But, I am six."

Sabo stops laughing before he lets out a louder laugh, while Ace feels his left eye twitch as he stares at Luffy, who remain clueless on his dilemma.

It will have been easier if Luffy hated him, but he didn't and now it's confusing Ace.

This…this isn't indicated in his text books at all.

And Ace is frustrated for not understanding the case of Luffy.

What makes this kit different?!

"Whatever!" Ace shouts and Sabo descends in giggles. He pulls Luffy up and crams the straw hat on top of his head. "I'm done! I'm tired! And we're going home!"

When Sabo stops giggling and Ace starts walking away, Sabo's expression shifts from glee to worry. "W-Wait Ace, what about your inj – "

"I'll worry about it when I go home. For now…" Ace glances at Luffy and back. There are still tears in the corner of Luffy's eyes. "It's getting late. I need to walk Luffy home."

Sabo, Luffy and Ace soon part ways, and Luffy and Ace are left in each other's presence as they walk home. Ace decides to be considerate this time and slows his pace so Luffy can catch up. The younger kit seems to be happy on this invitation and steps up so he can walk besides Ace.

Ace can't believe the headache he's feeling today.

His textbooks say this and that, but Luffy breaks them all and treats them like nothing. It's annoying and even becomes confusing since he can't figure out why Luffy doesn't act the way he's supposed to. Ace himself is not even acting like he's supposed to anymore!

Ace bristles when Luffy grabs Ace's hand.

"Oi Luffy!" Ace says as he retracts his hand. "What are you doing?"

"Holding your hand?" Why is the kit asking _him?_

"Don't. That's weird. Why are you even touching me in the first place?"

"Well, I'm always comfortable when I hold someone's hand when I walk home…"

"Well, get used to it! I'm not gonna hold your sweaty hand."

Luffy pouts as his ears bend. "Stingy."

"Don't be such a whiny baby about it."

"I'm not a baby."

"Yeah, tell that to the judge."

"What judge?"

"…It's a figurative speech."

"What's a figurative speech?"

"It's when you use creative words to express your thoughts… "

"Oh…but the word judge isn't a creative word."

"I…Never mind. Forget what I said."

"But – "

"Forget it. _Please._ "

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Ace…"

"What?"

Luffy smiles. "You're finally talking to me."

Ace opens his mouth to give a sarcastic retort, but stops. He looks at the kit who looks like he has won the Nobel Peace Prize.

The freckled child sighs.

 _This_ is weird, but it doesn't mean he doesn't like it.

After all, Luffy _is_ less annoying, this way.


	2. Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yessss I'm back. I had some complications with real life because well...real life is very predictable and anything can happen: from spoiled coffee to police coming to your house. So, anyway, I'm good now and I'm going to try and at least update all of my stories until school starts.
> 
> This is a 21, 000 word chapter; I know, the gap is sooooooo far from the previous chapter, but 10, 000 - 20, 000 words is my usual quota of every chapter. Just see Forbidden, ahahaha. I hope you like this installment :)
> 
> Warnings: Minor Grammatical errors, sexual innuendos (feel free to skip that), and Ace being an asshole (I don't know about you, but I see him asshole vibes here)
> 
> Important Notes:
> 
> This is an AU in which everyone's half-human and half-cat. There are Alphas, Betas and Omegas. Each person has a feline specie descent (their feline of origin) and it depends on your classification (the Alpha-Omega system). All Alphas have jungle wild cats as their specie descent; betas are domesticated cats and breeds; and Omegas are the rare wild cats. Children inherit the feline specie descent of the parent they have the same classification e.g. Parent A is a Beta and Parent B is an Omega. Child A is an Omega therefore he inherits Parent B's feline specie descent. More of the AU will be explained in the story.
> 
> * Vivre Card - in this story, Vivre card is a only-hospital issued card that shows the genome and classification of the kit. To create a Vivre card, the hospital gets DNA samples from the kit and does special laboratory testing. Then, they interpret the results and explain it to the kit and its parents.
> 
> * Pirates - In this AU, Pirates are notorious criminals. Since this AU is situated in a country that relies on maritime trade and natural resources from the sea, the sea has become a hotspot for gold diggers and piracy has become rampant because of it. Marines are thus very important to secure the sea and the economic benefits it bring.
> 
> * Omega pills - Heat suppressant pills. A typical Omega can have heat cycles every month to every three months. They range from three days to a week. Omega pills are very convenient to lessen the strength of the scent of their heat pheromones. Rogue here has heat cycles every three months, and she takes pills because she can't afford to waste a week in a house since she's the only working person in the house.
> 
> * Peak age - It's like puberty. It's the age when a kit starts to "turn" into a classification. All kits are born classification-less, and when they reach their Peak Age (which is 15 years old), their classification starts to reveal itself. In order to see the classification and genome of the kit, one must get a Vivre card from the hospital. It doesn't necessarily mean that when a kit reaches Peak age, he or she turns on the day itself, no. It's a slow process, which might takes months at most. When they turn, some of their instincts don't mature; e.g. 17 or 18 is the age when they sexual instincts mature.

Seven years has passed and the world seems to have changed before Ace's eyes.

The Genetics book that he has learned from has been updated with new facts that Genetic scientists have found; he and his classmates have reached the Peak Age and is now waiting for that climactic day when their classification and genome is finally revealed; he and Sabo are high school students now with respective (in)famous reputations; and Makino's youngest kit is walking now.

While it took the world seven years to transition and transform, it didn't take Luffy seven years to worm deep inside Ace's heart.

Ace has to admit, he has underestimated Luffy's power of making everyone around him _love_ him. It's a good thing that the younger kit doesn't seem to realize it. The older soon-to-be-cat is afraid that Luffy might not need him if Luffy ever realizes his ability to charm people. Seven years with the younger kit has somewhat conditioned Ace to live and breathe _with_ Luffy – living seems _unnatural_ without the annoying kit by his side.

Bent over his desk and working on the Genetics homework Ace perfected years ago, Luffy's consistency over the years has baffled Ace. The younger kit has not changed since seven years ago – he remains naive, gullible, too curious for his own good and as bright as the sun. Ace doesn't understand how Luffy has not changed from what he sees and feels, but in the depths of his heart, Ace is glad that Luffy is still _his_ Luffy – the snot-nosed kit who calls his name and chases him wherever he goes; the same owl-eyed kit whom he scratched years ago and yet forgave him like nothing happened.

It's one of Luffy's endearing traits, Ace has to admit. It's good to have something that remains constant in this world of continuous influx.

Luffy flashes a smile at his paperwork before shouting "Done!" with his arms raised above his head. The younger kit scrambles from his seat to play outside, but Ace – all too familiar with the action – pulls Luffy's collar and brings the younger kit to an abrupt halt. Luffy winces when lands on his bottom, and pouts at Ace. While it may be cute, he's not like Sabo; Luffy's kit charms do not work on Ace (most of the time).

"We're not _done,"_ Ace says. "I still have to check your answers." Grey eyes skim over Luffy's answers and his nose wrinkles.

"Lu, did you just guess the figures here?" Ace asks, looking at Luffy's answers with absolute distaste. The numbers of the classification populace are jumbled, the genome letters are written in the incorrect order, and most of Luffy's essay answers in the multiple choice portion are wrong. "And you got the Beta and Omega roles reversed! And...what's with your answer in the essay portion? No wonder Red-Nosed Buggy is always hounding you!" . Even _he_ will get angry over Luffy's answer on the essay portion - the kit had written 'I don't care' under the question 'What is the significance of the classification system - and he is known to be the person most patient with Luffy (Sabo comes close second, but truth to be told, Sabo is the _more_ patient one. He comes close second because it's his nature to be patient, while Ace has a fiery temper no-one want wants to play with and it's simply a miracle for him to be _patient_ ).

"The numbers are confusing okay!" Luffy huffs as he crosses his arms. "Also the roles... And gnomes...And everything else." The younger kit pauses. "I don't want to take the subject anymore! It's stupid!"

"It's _genomes,"_ Ace corrects. "The Beta populace constitutes 70%, Alpha approximately 25%, and Omega roughly 5%, not 50, 30, 20. It's the Omegas that are popularly known to do most of kit care, not the Betas – though Betas also _can,_ but Omegas _specialize_ in kit care than any other classification. You write genomes by starting with the dominant gene then with the recessive gene, and all of them must be in small-cases, not capital. And what is this 'I don't care' essay of yours? Luffy, you have to realize that the classification system is _very_ important. It served a lot for humanity's survival in the past few centuries! You can't just say it doesn't matter like it's an outdated concept. People will get _mad_ at you for that." The older one replies, spewing words like they are facts themselves. He isn't particularly mad at the kit, just frustrated, because Luffy isn't like him; Luffy somehow doesn't like Genetics as much as Ace does. It's a pity, truly. Ace has tried to make Luffy see the beauty in Genetics – the core foundation of their lives here on earth – but he fails everytime.

"It's stupid!" Luffy says, and Ace notices how many times Luffy used the word 'stupid' to describe Genetics. "What does anyone's classification have to do with anyone?!"

"A _lot._ " Ace simply says. "Luffy, you have to understand that the classification system _is_ the natural law. You have to accept that some people cannot do some things according to their classification; Alphas can't be in domestic child care, Betas can't be leaders, and Omegas can't do strenuous activities. A lot of people have been following this system for hundreds of years, and for a _good reason_. You get me?"

Luffy blinks and furrows his eyebrows. "But…" he begins, thinking. "A lot of people following the same thing doesn't mean that we should also follow it. Shanks told me that you should think for yourself what's good for you and what's not, because it's not always the majority that's right, _right?_ " Luffy pauses and looks down to his fingers. "So what if a lot of people follow that stupid rule? I think it's not good, because it's _restree-, restir-, restrikte-_ it doesn't let you follow your dreams! What if an Alpha wants to take care of kids, like Shanks? What if a Beta wants to be the next Mayor, like Makino? What if an Omega wants to enter the Olympics, like mom? Why should they follow a stupid rule some old geezers rant about when they can prove the world that the stupid rule is stupid?" Luffy crosses his arms and pouts. "That's why I don't like Genetics. It's stupid. And bad."

Ace puts down the sheet of paper and runs his fingers into his hair. He is torn between feeling amazed of Luffy's strong belief in his ideals – not many know, but Luffy is actually too mature for his age, if he wants to – and feeling of the need to _correct_ Luffy, because that is not how the world works. Alphas like Shanks can't be invested to domestic care because there isn't a lot of Alphas and the people need someone who can _lead,_ Betas like Makino can't be leaders because they're the most selfish out of all the classifications and history has proven that they're just incapable of _leading_ , and Omegas like Luffy's mother _shouldn't_ participate in events like the Olympics because Omegas aren't biologically made to do labour work – the slightest stress can affect their overall health. The truth behind Luffy's mother is shrouded in mystery; no-one knows the truth other than Gramps, his mother, and of course, Luffy's father who's been absent for years. Though, it doesn't take much of Ace's imagination to realize what had happened to Monkey D. Rosa, who, had a bright career as an Olympic runner but lost it to a rare disease that only strikes Omegas experiencing high-stress levels everyday. Shoving that depressing thought aside, Luffy needs to realize the _facts_ instead of listening to nonsensical hopes of idealism. _Most especially_ since Luffy is going to end up as an Alpha.

Ace does not need to do a Punnett Square; a pair of pure Alpha and Omega parents always sire Alpha kittens. There's no question to it.

His thoughts are distracted when his vision blurs a bit, and the older one rubs the crease of his forehead to quell his growing headache. His vision clears after a second, and he sees a Luffy with worried expression present on his face.

"Ace? You okay?" Luffy asks as he comes closer to Ace and feels Ace's forehead. Luffy immediately retracts his hand. "You're hot!"

Ace feels his own temperature. He grumbles a bit when he finds his body warmer than usual. This has been happening for a some days – part of the turning process – and all he can do is drink some fluids and hope that it comes to pass. "I'm fine, nothing to worry about," he lies, because he's probably going to be bedridden for a few days or so. He better call Sabo to tutor Luffy, else the younger kit might fail the summer school his Granpa signed him up for. _Homicidal geezer,_ Ace thinks. _Leaving Lu to fend for himself. Can't he even spare the time to call and ask about his grandson?_

As expected, Luffy sees through his lies – Ace finds it fascinating, too; how can Luffy, a kit who is dense and gullible and naive, can tell a person with pure intentions from a person with bad ones? – and frowns. He pulls Ace to his bed with a strength surprising for a kit of his age. Ace falls with a slight flop before Luffy drapes over him with a protective arm secured around his around his chest like a fuzzy blanket – fuzzy because Luffy's head is too close and Luffy is practically asking to be sneezed with how close his hair is to Ace's nose.

Ace's body feels a little sluggish, but he doesn't shove Luffy off, only gently grips the younger one's shoulders. Seven years ago, Ace will have pushed Luffy off without a thought with how the former hates bodily contact with other kits, but now, he won't have minded as long as it's Luffy.

 _His_ sweet little brother, Luffy.

"Luffy, what are you doing?" Ace asks. He pants." _God_ , what have you been eating? You feel heavier than last week!"

"I didn't gain weight!" Luffy says on his neck, and Ace will be lying if he says that Luffy's breath isn't making his body feel weird at all. "Auntie Rouge says that sick people need to be covered so they can sweat the sickness away, so for the time being, I'll be your blanket until you sweat your sickness away!"

Ace fights the urge to smile at Luffy's pure intentions, but loses. "That isn't how it works," he starts, but he doesn't mind a Luffy blanket right now.

"Yes it does! I've seen it work multiple times on me and Sabo!"

"It's 'Sabo and _I_ ', stupid."

"'M not stupid!"

Ace chuckles. "Whatever you say."

They speak no words after that, but Luffy squirms on him as a way of being Luffy and Ace has to wrap his arms around the younger kit to stop him from accidentally kicking his stomach. Once the younger kit is trapped, Ace attempts to calm the active kit down by carding his fingers through the younger one's hair. Luffy purrs in contact and nuzzles into the crook of Ace's neck. The affection is welcome and Ace feels a bit better.

Luffy's affection truly works wonders – or it's just that Ace has just grown dependent and _needy_ of Luffy's regular invasion of personal space.

As he softly brushes Luffy's scalp and the skin behind Luffy's cat ears that makes the younger one purr, Ace can't help but wonder how _long_ can Luffy remain consistent in this world of influx. In two years, Luffy shall reach his peak age and his genome and classification will slowly that he is an Alpha – like what is happening to Ace. Upon his turn, Luffy's body and thinking will probably be programmed to suit the classification andr his specie descent, and Ace prays that Luffy doesn't inherit the same wild thinking as his Grandfather or his father, who are known to belong in the Barbary Lion specie.

And even if Luffy, for some miraculous reason that happens to the younger kit _a lot,_ resists and remains the way he is right now after two years _and_ his turn, Luffy needs to usher the change because he _needs_ it.

Ace admires Luffy's ideals and dreams, but there is a boundary for everything. Luffy cannot afford to ignore Genetics for the sake of fulfilling these dreams – dreams that are absurd, truly _unachievable_ – because Genetics is all around him, _in him_. He cannot deny what is nature, and for that, Luffy is a hopeless idealist.

It's mean, Ace knows, but it's the truth. Sooner or later, Ace has to speak the truth and Luffy has no choice but to swallow it.

 _But, it's for the best,_ Ace thinks. Idealism is _good_ , but too much is not; Ace knows Luffy has too much of it already.

But, if Ace destroys Luffy's ideals so that Luffy can accept the truth and change, won't he also be destroying _this Luffy_ on top of him? Luffy is naive, gullible, too curious for his own good, and bright as the sun, and that is because he _dreams_ hopeless things. The Luffy that is sleeping on top of him is the Luffy that believes anything is possible and ignores the boundary that is nature. The Luffy whom he has grown to love is the Luffy that is intangible from things like classifications, genomes and classification roles – he is like the tides, free and never-changing. If Ace destroys Luffy's ideals, will he lose the Luffy he has cherished for seven years (and possibly more)?

These thoughts make his headache grow worse, and Luffy sits up to look at Ace properly. A more somber, more worried, more scared expression paints Luffy's face, and Ace feels a bit guilty for making Luffy do a face like that.

He smiles and pretends that his head isn't splitting into two. "Is something matter?"

"You don't look so good…" Luffy says, biting his lower lip. "Should I get Auntie Rouge?"

The thought of his mother sharing the expression that Luffy is making right now makes his stomach churn. "No need. I just need a bit of rest, that's all. Come here," he says and pulls Luffy back to his chest. "Sleep. We'll take about your homework later."

Luffy complies, his body sagging on top of Ace's, but he doesn't sleep. Ace knows this – he has memorized Luffy's sleeping habits like the back of his hand – so he starts petting Luffy again. Luffy's body grows more comfortable on top of him and Ace can't help but think that Luffy's lithe body fits him perfectly well.

Huh. What a strange thought. Ace is sure that Sabo will laugh him for that.

Nonetheless, Luffy falls asleep a moment later. His hand feels weak now, but he doesn't stop. Just seeing Luffy like this gives him strength.

Soon, Ace's body shuts down as he succumbs to a dream of swirling vortexes and his father singing him a lullaby.

And then something flashes in his dream, and he feels his head being pounded by a hammer.

_It hurts._

He wakes up with a searing, scorching paint from his chest, gliding its way to his limbs and head, like lava trickling down in his veins. He remembers himself screaming and flailing, and his environment becomes a big mess of blur. He vaguely remembers a change of scenery and voices that hurt his ears, but all throughout, something is clear, constant.

So, he focuses on it just to ignore the pain and the confusion.

Something feral, something sharp, something that threatens to burst out of his core screams for that constant thing to leave, to _run_ , but something passive, something _familiar,_ something that is embedded deep into his heart for such a long time longs it's touch.

Before he can give a proper reaction, it is suddenly grabbed by hands Ace almost leaps from whatever he lying on _to pry those hands away from it._

He fails, he is bounded. Ace doesn't like the feeling of it. But it doesn't stop him from trying to reach it.

He is sure he screams it's name, but he can't remember the name, with how his brain is taking the load of pain.

Ace doesn't know how long the pain seared and how much he tried to get away, to free himself, because his senses dulled after some time, but he soon awakens with a dull ringing in his head and a bright light.

After his eyes and ears adjust, he feels more powerful, more perceptive, like he can finally do _anything_ and sense _everything._ He hears muffled voices, which he identifies are past these white walls, and he sees a clear vision of a bird sitting on top of a tree, meters away from the window.

Ace quickly concludes he is in the hospital, strapped to a bed with claw marks and broken springs. His mother's tired but _hopeful_ expression greets him.

"Ace? Ace, are you awake? Can you hear me?" she says, and Ace notices how dry it is from normal.

"Y-yeah…" he softly says. He gulps and feels that his canines are a bit sharper and longer than usual. "What happened?"

Despite the broken bed and the tired look on his mother's face, a smile adorns her face – a proud one, Ace notices – and she clasps his hands, which feels large enough to protect, to _fight_.

"You've _turned_ ," she begins. "You're an Alpha now."

Ace feels an instinctive swell of pride in his heart and the fierce blood of the Panther descent coursing through his veins, his ears and his tail.

He is a kit no longer, and for that, he is happy.

He has changed – _evolved_. He is now in tune with this world of constant influx.

He comes out of the hospital with a Vivre Card* stating that he is an Alpha with the genome of _ao,_ who hails proudly from the Panther descent, and a big grin on his face.

Ace has a strange urge to see Luffy come out of the hospital with the same results on the Vivre Card as him.

* * *

A day after Ace is admitted out of the hospital, Sabo is rushed in it. After spending a whole day inside the safe confinements of the hospital, Sabo walks out as an Alpha of the Jaguar descent with a genome of _aa_ – indicating that he's a _pure_ Alpha – on his Vivre Card and a big smile in his face. A private joke about being brothers of different parents rises between Ace and Sabo, as the two discover that Panthers are melanistic Jaguars. Of course, they try to include Luffy in this private joke even if he's only a kit and classification-less – because neither of them will dare leave Luffy in the dark – but since Luffy hasn't turned yet, they officially dub him as the little brother while Ace and Sabo are his (twin) big brothers.

(Funny story, Ace and Sabo argued over who will be the older between them. Sabo claims he should be older because he is a pure Alpha and Ace claims that being an impure Alpha – an Alpha carrying the _ao_ genome – can be as strong as a pure one. After a brawl, they decide they should just be twins.)

Luffy doesn't mind the new arrangement and seems happier than he can call someone 'family' other than his grandfather, who Luffy keeps on waiting for seven years and his father who Ace is not sure to exist.

A normal summer day passes before Ace and Sabo are called in, once again, but this time it isn't the hospital. While Ace, Sabo and Luffy are playing inside their ASL hide-out, a modest tree house built on the rubber fig tree in Luffy's backyard as Luffy's 10th birthday gift, Ace's mother arrives and asks if they can go to Makino's tavern for lunch. His mother explains that Shanks needs to talk to them about important matters regarding their new statuses as Alphas. She also adds that Shanks will be treating them lunch as compensation for the trouble, and, surprisingly, Ace's stomach grumbles at the thought. Hearing Shanks and food in the same sentence, Luffy expresses his excitement to go, but his mother chastises the young kit and says that he can't. His mother affirms that only Ace and Sabo can go because they are the one who turned to Alphas, not Luffy.

Luffy deflates, and Ace has an urge to tell his mother that he _wants_ Luffy to go with him since Luffy is going to be an Alpha anyway. But he doesn't; he may be an Alpha and she may be an Omega, but she will always be his mother.

They leave without Luffy.

Upon their arrival, Ace is bitter, moody. He isn't in the mood to be polite or nice to anyone right now. He wants to complain to Shanks about not inviting Luffy to come along – the kit practically worships the ground Shanks walks and being ignored by the red-haired Alpha must've _hurt_! – and in the back of his mind, Ace hopes that Shanks makes this lunch meeting worthwhile else he's not going to forgive the man that easily (for ignoring Luffy).

Makino spots them and places two glasses of lemonade on their table. She immediately notices the grumpy look on Ace's face and smiles like it's some private joke to see. "I see that you're a little under the weather today, Ace," she begins. "Luffy is really your big ball of sunshine, isn't he?"

Ace blushes and stammers. "H-He's not!" Ace shouts, and bites his lip when he realizes he has raised his voice to Makino, _of all people._ "I mean…"

Makino simply chuckles. "It's adorable, actually," And Ace's blush reddens. He is convinced Makino is secretly an Alpha in her past life if she's able to twist and flip him like this. That or she's taking advantage of the fact she was once Ace's crush. Sabo snickers across him and Ace kicks his shin.

"Shanks will be here soon. He's just out to visit the Mayor with Hizir," At that moment, the door opens with a chime of a bell, and Shanks with his eldest son Hizir walks in. Makino stares at her husband and son with fondness. "Ah! Speak of the devil."

"Hi Mom!" Seven-year old Hizir, Shanks' and Makino's oldest kit, greets as he wraps his arms around his mother's waist. Makino gives him a peck on the forehead before Hizir removes himself, and greets Ace and Sabo respectively.

"Hizir, would you mind stashing these papers in Daddy's desk? That would be lovely," Shanks' familiar gruff yet lazy voice rings through the tavern, and Ace fights the urge to scowl. Hizir accepts the task at hand willingly and quite happily – a genetic trait possibly inherited from Makino – and rushes upstairs, to where the official Akagami residences is located. Ace's sharp eyes catches the contents of the paper and quickly deduces that Shanks is trying to push through Makino's application as a candidate to be the Mayor of this village. Ace purses his lips and doesn't say anything. He already knows the outcome of this; it's been recurring as long as Ace can remember.

As soon as Hizir disappears, Shanks wounds his arms around his wife and gives him a sloppy peck on the cheeks. "I'm home!" he says before he nuzzles his bearded chin on Makino's smooth skin. Ace blinks and wrinkles his nose when an overpowering stench spreads into the air. By the look of Sabo's vexed expression and the hand covering his nose and mouth from the scent, Ace knows his friend is also smelling it, too. And both know that it's coming from Shanks.

Ace, in his mood, isn't going to take the matter lightly, however. "Ugh, Shanks! Did you take a bath today or what?!" Ace says, an irked tone lacing his voice. Makino blinks at Ace in confusion before her pretty face lits up in recognition and pinches Shanks' ear like a classic, reprimanding mother.

"Honestly Shanks! Stop doing that!" Makino says, and the two newly-turned Alphas are surprised to see Makino annoyed. The Beta quickly realizes her peeved outburst and blushes. "A-at least not in public…" she murmurs and Shanks only laughs at his wife.

"Sorry, _Maki_ ," In the corner of his eyes, Sabo's shoulders twitch in a way that indicates his blonde friend just mentally gagged. "Just doing a demonstration in front of the kids."

"Get a _broom!"_ Four-year old Arui shouts from the corner, and it only takes a second for the whole bar to laugh. Shanks laughs the loudest, but even so, Ace can see it in the red-haired Alpha's eyes that he's proud of his daughter even though she used the wrong word. Arui doesn't seem to be embarrassed – she chimes into the laughter as if she's trying to crack up a joke and for a moment, Ace sees Luffy in the four-year old kit.

Ace feels down all of the sudden – more down than he already is. Luffy's absence is really taking a great toll on him, even if he has just parted from the kit for a few minutes or so. It makes him wonder how deep Luffy wormed into heart for him to feel this way.

Seeing Ace mope around, Shanks throws a smile. "You know, Anchor was like that, too," Shanks says as he pulls a chair and promptly sits down it. Makino has left her spot already and is now scolding Arui about messing glasses in the counter. Seeing Arui with a half-filled glass of beer makes Ace think that Shanks' four-year old daughter is going to grow up to be an alcoholic, just like her father. "Irritable, moody, always feeling the blues," Shanks tells, his dark eyes set on Ace. "Funny how you've also started doing it – _but_ , that is to be expected."

The last sentence catches Ace off-guard. "What?"

Shanks raises an eyebrow and looks at him with an amused look on his face, as if mocking him for something that he _should've_ known. It irks him – Is Shanks really setting him up for a challenge? – but he isn't given the time to raise the issue when Sabo clears his throat.

"Pardon me, Mr. Shanks, but what did you call us here for, exactly?" Sabo asks, forward and no dilly-dally, just as he is raised to.

Shanks leans forward. His tail that marks him as a Cougar descent swishes back and forth. "As newly-turned Alphas, it's important to give you the ropes about what's it like being _us_ ," Shanks begins, clasping his hands together on the table. "Though, if I can summarize what being an Alpha really means, it would be 'dangerous'."

And so, Shanks tells about how powerful Alphas are and how they can use an Alpha-exclusive ability, intimidation, now that they've turned. It's nothing that Ace hasn't learned in school before, but Shanks shows a side to the facts that he hasn't read before. Shanks tells stories about how an Alpha's strength can go far lengths, to which Ace cringes when Shanks tells him that he could've blinded Luffy if the younger Alpha had scratched Luffy as an Alpha. To explain how dangerous intimidation can be, the red-haired Alpha also tells a time when an Alpha had used intimidation to pick a fight with another Alpha only to have the innocent Beta bystanders faint with froths bubbling in their mouths. The stories seem like they came from a horror movie, but Ace knows that they're all true because he can _feel_ it in his gut that he is capable of doing these things, only if he embraces the Alpha he truly is and lets it all _happen._

Ace bites his lip and realizes why Alphas are dangerous creatures.

When Makino arrives at their table to set plates of newly-cooked Carbonara, Shanks decides to break the tense atmosphere. He twirls his fork on his noodles as he talks. "Let's move on to a different topic, something I know you boys haven't heard in school." Shanks takes a bite of the twirled pasta and gulps it with much fervor. "Have you heard about scent marking?"

Ace blinks. He has read it in a book before but it doesn't elaborate on it much. He and Sabo look at each other before they shake their heads. The older Alpha purses his lips at the reaction and tries his best not to laugh. "Okay, okay, good," he says, pushing his plate of pasta for later. "Because this is one of the most awkward and embarrassing things to talk about, next to The Talk," Suddenly, Sabo squirms on his seat and Shanks clears his throat to begin.

"Scent marking was the thing Ace complained about being stinky," Ace blushes at his rude outburst. "I was actually scent marking Makino at that time, telling you guys that my wife is off-limits," Sabo and Ace does not need an elaboration to know what that means as both of the younger Alpha's cheeks start to grow hotter. "All classifications can actually scent mark; what differs an Alpha's scent marking from the rest is that it has three types instead of two: the protective, the territorial, and the additional imprint. Protective scent marking is when one person scent marks the other to protect the other from external forces. The scent makes anyone who tries to harm the person who is scent marked back away. The stronger the scent, the better it drives away harming forces. But, it is important to remember that the scent wears off after some time and scent glands can't produce enough scent to allow anyone to use protective scent marking in a regular basis,"

Shanks pauses to take a scoop of pasta and eats it. "On the other hand, territorial scent marking is when one person scent marks his or her mate to keep away other suitors at bay. That was what I was doing to Makino just a moment ago. It's kind of special because you can only use it to the person you've tied the knot to," Makino squeaks as she takes the order from a couple seated nearby and Shanks blinks before he realizes the implications of his words. "I-I mean that one you've tied the knot with _in marriage_. Matrimony _. Weddings_. Y-you...get the idea," Shanks clears his throat once again and a slight blush creeps on his face. He waits for Makino to scurry back to the counter before Shanks continues. "Anyway, the same rules of protective scent marking applies in territorial scent marking – can't use it often, wears off overtime and effectiveness depends on strength. It's really not advisable to use this, especially in public, because territorial scent marks smells like a rotten fish – and the stronger the scent marker is, the stinker the scent mark will be."

"The last one is an all-exclusive use for Alphas. Imprint scent marking is almost the same as territorial scent marking, except that the target is the person who the scent marker is interested in becoming his or her mate, and the scent lasts forever. You two familiar with how few Alphas are in comparison with Betas?" Both younger Alphas nod. "Well, imprint scent marking is some sort of mechanism to ensure that the Alphas won't run out of potential mates to choose from. By imprint scent marking, an Alpha can select a person whom he is interested to be mates with and 'reserve' that person until...well...they officially become mates. Once scent marked, any potential suitors of the person will be driven off unless another Alpha imprint scent marks the same person to overlap the previous scent. Alphas can only use imprint scent marking once in their lifetime," Shanks explains. "Though I leave this up to your personal choice, but I advise you guys not to use this scent mark, _ever._ I've heard stories about Alphas scent marking a person whom is not interested in becoming their mate, and that leads to unnecessary drama and trouble that I know you boys are not interested in. So, if ever the time comes you need to find a mate, just stick to the ol' dating game, alright?" The younger Alphas nod, and Shanks smiles. "Good! Now finally that's all behind us. Any questions before lunch?" Ace notices that he and Sabo haven't touched their food yet.

Sabo hesitantly raises his hand. "Why didn't you invite Luffy? Doesn't he need to know this, too?" It seems that Ace isn't the only one who is bothered by the absence of their third companion.

Shanks raises his eyebrow. "Luffy is just a kit. Let him relish his time as a kit a little more," he says. He takes a bigger scoop of Makino's carbonara and munches on it. "I know you're protective of the kit – I am _too_ – but you need to give him space. As much as this talk would benefit him in some way, I like to keep a general rule of letting kits be kits before they turn. You don't want to bombard them with all these serious classification stuff, not when they're at the prime of their lives."

"But, the sooner he learns about this, the better, wouldn't it?" Ace asks. He knows much time Luffy needs to understand things, and for sure, Luffy will need to be informed as early as now so he can grasp this complicated talk about Alphas in the next years to come. A misinformed and unaware Alpha is a dangerous one and Luffy's dense and oblivious behavior is a dangerous combination to an instinctive classification.

"That depends _if_ he's going to turn into an Alpha," Shanks clarifies as he points his fork towards Ace. "He doesn't need these stuff if he's not going to turn into one."

The blonde Alpha furrows his eyebrows. "What do you mean by that? Luffy is a _sure_ Alpha. Luffy's father is an Alpha and his mother is an Omega, how can they possible produce a kit that's _not_ an Alpha?"

Shanks flashes an amused look as he twirls his fork on his pasta. "Have you even checked the genome of Luffy's father before you reached at that conclusion?" He says as he raises his fork in mid-air. "Because I advise you guys to reconsider," he takes the pasta in his mouth and munches it. "If you must know, Luffy's father isn't a pure Alpha. Only his grandfather. Tell me, how can Garp sire an Alpha kit if his mate isn't an Omega?"

Sabo blinks, thinks, and opens his mouth but closes it again. Sabo's expression contorts to one of realization as Ace feels that he's been hit by a slab of brick for not realizing the fact sooner.

"Though let me tell you, before weird things start to wander in your heads," Shanks starts and for once, the red-haired Alpha looks serious. "Whether Luffy turns to an Alpha or an Omega or even a Beta, for the wildest reasons, it _doesn't_ matter. Luffy will still be Luffy, and nothing can ever change the fact he is entitled to the same things as you have."

Sabo nods, still in shock by the newly-discovered fact, and Shanks eyes fixate on Ace's downcast form. "Is that understood, Ace?"

It takes a moment for Ace to respond. "Yes…" he reluctantly says, but deep down he knows it's not true.

If there's something that he hates in this new world of change and classifications, it's the _fact_ that everyone has already been predetermined and sorted into roles in which they have to work, and that there are classifications who gain more than others.

Shanks' words somehow weigh like Luffy's idealist beliefs.

**OOOOoooOOOO**

Ace and Sabo eventually leave Makino's tavern with a bag of take-out for Luffy in their care, and they both go straight to Luffy's house to meet their companion. After greeting his mother and asking permission to check on Luffy in the kit's big and lonesome house, Ace and Sabo discover, to their indifferent surprise, that Luffy has fallen asleep on the couch, curled up and Chopper in his arms ;he may have grown tired of waiting for them and fell asleep . Ace decides to wait for Luffy to wake up, but Sabo doesn't and states that he wants to go home. The blonde Alpha reasons he needs time alone to process Shanks' words, but Ace knows that it's a lie. He knows that Sabo is as surprised as Ace is about the possibility of Luffy _not_ turning into an Alpha and it's bothering the blonde Alpha to the point that he's not willing to share the same breathing space with Luffy. Ace decides to let it go, however. He also has to process some things after that whole escapade, and as much as Sabo is his dear friend, he doesn't need him at the moment. So, he walks Sabo out of the door – after Sabo gives a quick pet on Luffy's head, which gives Ace the urge to growl for some reason – and bids his friend a short good-bye, before he shuts the door and goes back to where Luffy is so he can put a blanket on the kit.

Staring at Luffy as the kit purrs in his sleep and knowing that there's a chance that this kit is not going to be an Alpha just like him is… well, Ace has no words to describe his feelings at the moment. Maybe he can call these feeling fear or anxiety – he's not sure how to label his feelings at the moment. There are so many things that Ace dreams for the three of them, as the three _Alpha_ brothers, and learning that Luffy isn't a sure Alpha crushes it.

Ace takes a piece of paper and draws a punnett square. He tries to remember the things written on his Genetics book about genomes and classifications.

From what he remembers, there are three genes that determine the classification of a kit. They are Beta gene ( _b),_ Alpha gene ( _a)_ , and Omega gene ( _o)_. The Beta gene is the most dominant gene out of all the three, and has three gene combinations or genomes which are _bb, ba, bo._ The dominance of the Beta gene explains why there are so many Betas in the world compared to Alphas and Omegas. After the Beta bene, the most dominant is the Alpha gene, and it has two genomes: _aa_ , which indicates that one is a pure Alpha, and _ao_ , which indicates that one is an impure Alpha. His teachers have explained that being a pure or an impure one doesn't change the strength or physical genetic makeup of an Alpha; it's just that an impure Alpha carries an Omega gene which makes it possible for an impure Alpha to have Omega children. Lastly, the Omega gene is the recessive gene, and it has only one genome, which is _oo._ The recessivity of the Omega gene explains why there are a few number of Omegas in the world.

Remembering the exact words of his textbook: _the Punnett Square is a classical way of determining the percentage of a kit's classification using the genomes of his parents. By implanting the genomes of the parents in the upper side of the column and at the right side of the rows, the possible genomes of the kit can be predicted._ Using the Punnett Square method is very easy as long as one knows the genomes of the kit's parents, and Shanks has supplied Ace enough information to predict Luffy's possible classification.

He starts by predicting the genome of Luffy's father. Since Garp is a pure Alpha, Ace writes _aa_ in the upper portion of the columns. Guessing for the genome of Garp's wife isn't much trouble; there's only one possible genome that can help Garp sire an Alpha kit. Ace writes _oo_ at the right side of the rows, and distributes the genes. He gets an _ao_ in all of the four boxes, which means that Luffy's father is a 100% impure Alpha.

Then, he starts with Luffy's. He draws a Punnett Square again and puts the genome of Luffy's father, _ao,_ on the upper side of the columns. He puts _oo_ at the right side of the rows because Luffy's mother is an Omega. He crosses the genomes and stares at the letters displayed by the four boxes. The two boxes lying in the first column shows _ao_ , but the two boxes lying in the second column displays _oo._

From these letters _sealed_ in a poorly-drawn box that is actually Nature's ballot box of possible genomes for Luffy, Ace concludes: Luffy has a 50% chance of becoming an impure Alpha, like Ace, and another 50% of becoming an _Omega,_ like Luffy's mother.

Ace doesn't know if he should be happy or disappointed at the results.

He knows it's _not_ Luffy's fault. He knows that being an Alpha or an Omega doesn't really matter. He knows that Luffy is entitled to what he and Sabo has; Luffy is as free as the two of them. But, at the same time, Ace knows that classifications _do_ matter. Classifications morally forbid people to do certain things. Classifications sort people to jobs that they may or may not like. Classifications stand as the ultimate rule of the Universe and core foundation of every living being. He is not sure about Luffy, butto Ace, his life _with_ the kit whom he has grown to love is guaranteed to change if ever those two small-case letters, _oo_ , appear on the kit's Vivre card. And Ace, as much as Luffy believes that he can do anything, can't do anything to change that.

His mood sours and he whimpers - but then, he realizes he _never_ whimpers and that's not his voice. A desire to protect Luffy swells into being as he abandons the pencil and paper for Luffy, who starts thrashing on the couch. Ace feels guilty when he sees tears on Luffy's cheeks - Luffy must've been crying while Ace is mulling on the kit's classification - and he spares no time shaking the kit back to the reality. He starts weak, but makes his shakes stronger when Luffy doesn't respond; he starts calling his name a bit louder and, thankfully, Luffy responds and stares back at him with glossy, open eyes.

"Ace?" Luffy blinks and stares at the Alpha, and his lips break into a big smile when he confirms the figure in front of him to be his older brother. "Ace!" Luffy shouts with a loud fervor and tackles the Alpha into a hug. Ace catches him, but more easily now – there is no more recoil that makes Ace stumble on his feet. "Since when did you get home? Where's Sabo?"

"He went home. He says he wants to...think things through," Ace says. "How are you feeling? You were twisting and turning in your sleep."

"Oh, that," Luffy says, a bit bluntly for someone who looked like he was being chased. "I had a nightmare, and now I'm hungry."

Ace frowns as he cards his fingers through his hair. A hungry Luffy won't speak unless he is fed. He immediately interjects and brings forth the take-out Makino prepared specially for Luffy. "This is Carbonara from Makino. Shanks is sorry that he wasn't able to invite you so there are some honeyed bacon slices there."

"YAY!" Luffy exclaims as the kit practically tears the cardboard box open and eats the pasta like he's inhaling it. Ace leaves Luffy to his food as the Alpha gets a glass of water for the kit in case Luffy chokes. Just as Ace comes back to the living room, Luffy begins choking on the honeyed bacon, and Ace immediately rushes to the kit's aid with the water. With the bacon down and the glass empty, Luffy continues his insatiable eating until nothing of the box is left. Luffy burps and lies on the carpet when he is finished; there is a happy glow around him now. "That was so good!" he shouts.

"Don't lie on the carpet. You don't know know what things are lurking in there." Ace chastises and pats the space next to him on the couch. Luffy happily crawls next to Ace and drapes over the Alpha like a blanket. Ace doesn't mind - he's been used to this - and he wounds an arm around Luffy's lithe frame in response. Luffy feels cold, quite possibly because the kit fell asleep without a blanket, so Ace brings Luffy closer as he picks up the remote and turns the TV on.

They settle for a cartoon show about Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck being chased by some bald hunter, and for a moment, it somehow makes Ace be reminded of Luffy's grandfather, Garp. Luffy laughs full-heartedly when the bunny outsmarts the hunter; Ace only grins because he just finds the whole cartoon silly - how can a weak rabbit outsmart a whole bunch of hunters in chasing the other hunter? It's just plain old silliness! And not the good kind.

Though as long as Luffy is smiling because of it, Ace doesn't mind the cartoon at all.

When the commercial break starts and Luffy is finally happy and content, Ace decides to speak up. "What happened this time?" he doesn't need to elaborate what 'this' is.

Luffy snuggles further into Ace's embrace. "Granpa left me again, and this time, it's because my Beaver card tells that I'm an Omega," Ace pales a bit, and he is thankful Luffy doesn't notice it. "He stopped forcing me to join the Marines. Before he left, he told me I should just marry a good Marine and stay at home where I belonged. I got mad, so I joined the Marines even if he punched me on the head with his Fist of Love," At that, Luffy chuckles for a bit, but the sad tone cannot be hidden by it. "I trained for several years until the Marines announced that there's a war in sea and everyone must join in. Granpa charges first, because he's always like that, but he gets shot and falls overboard. I dove in and tried to pull him up. I couldn't do it. M-My arms were too weak and I was running out of breath, and by the time I realized it, I...had let go of Granpa and h-he _sunk_ Ace! I couldn't do anything to save him!" Luffy begins to sniff and sob as the hunter comes back with a new plan to get Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. "I-I tried getting him back but the water just became too heavy and too dark and I couldn't see anything! I-It was so s-scary!"

"Oh Luffy," Ace says as he pulls Ace into a gentle embrace. Luffy crawls onto his lip and cries on his shoulder, while the Alpha rubs soothing circles on Luffy's back. He feels guilty for making Luffy relive that scary nightmare. "It's over now, there's nothing to be afraid about, anymore. It's just a dream," Luffy looks at him with teary eyes as Ace brushes the teardrops away, carefully touching the scar below Luffy's right eye. "Do you honestly believe that your grandfather can be defeated so easily? If he was, I would probably be ruling over Fuusha village by now, with you and Sabo as my henchmen."

Luffy sniffs. "Y-yeah… Grandpa is very hard to beat…" he mutters. "Especially his fist of love…"

With Luffy finally seeing rationality, Ace gives a reassuring smile. "Grandpa Garp _will_ come home, Lu. Isn't that what you always say when I try to wreck his Petunia beds?"

Luffy begins to smile. "Yeah, he actually did come home and caught you red-handed!"

"That he did, Lu, that he did…" Ace says. "Do you feel better now, Lu?"

Luffy retreats back to Ace's shoulder and hums. Ace nuzzles on Luffy's hair and he sniffs the calming scent of the sea on the kit's hair. The older Alpha notices how Luffy is doing the same thing, but on his shirt. Playfully, Ace bites onto Luffy's ear and the kit chokes out a weird-sounding moan. Luffy glares from his shoulder and climbs out of his lap. Ace stutters out an apology as he sees how irritated Luffy is, to which Luffy accepts and he climbs back on top of Ace again. Ace gently rubs the bitten spot on Luffy's ear and Luffy purrs by contact. They ignore the cartoon in favor of each other.

"Ace?" Luffy speaks up. Ace hums in response. "Alpha or Omega...It doesn't really matter, right? When I turn and I don't become an Alpha, it won't matter, right?"

Ace opens his mouth and closes them soon after; he doesn't know what to say when he asks that question to himself. But, seeing Luffy's bright owlish eyes and the smile that reminds him of the sun and the sea, he feels rather ridiculous for treating his love for Luffy as something so superficial.

Alpha or not, this kit in his arms is still Luffy, isn't he? After all the sun and the sea won't change if the world is either turned black or white.

Ace plants a peck on Luffy's forehead and speaks. "Of course it won't. You're still _my_ Lu, aren't you?" Shanks' words echo in his head and for once, Ace stops thinking of Genetics altogether.

Satisfied with Ace's answer, Luffy grins and rests his head on Ace's shoulder once again. "I'll always be _your_ Lu!" And Ace's heart just swells in pride; he can't explain _why_. The thought of Luffy being with him makes him extremely happy, like a trapped frog in a well finally seeing the ocean, and he feels relieved that there's someone he can call _his_ now.

Luffy is not an object, Ace knows, but his loyalty and unconditional love is something that Ace believes _only he_ possesses now, and the Panther Alpha isn't going to let anyone get it.

Luffy is his and his to protect.

"You're heavy, Ace!" Luffy complains as Ace sags on top of Luffy. The Alpha snorts before he pulls Luffy down with him when Ace falls to his side. They lightly flop on the cushions and the TV remote bounces off the sofa. "Accceeee!" Luffy whines.

"Bear with it, I'm sleepy," he reasons out as his eyes flutter close. He brings his face near Luffy's hair and takes a sniff. _Luffy is good and healthy_ , he absent-mindedly thinks, with his instincts overriding his rational mind. _He's safe._

"Are you purring?" Luffy asks, amused, and in Ace's half-sleep state, the Alpha only grunts in response.

Luffy chuckles. "You're funny, Ace." But, Luffy wiggles his arms free so he can card his fingers through Ace's locks. Ace purrs on contact and opens his mouth to give Luffy a lick to the cheek. Luffy only laughs and complains on how ticklish it is, while Ace ignores the kit and continues his ministrations. Satisfied when Luffy smells right, Ace brings the kit closer to his chest as his mind halts to a stop.

"Okay. Sleep well, I guess." is the final words Luffy utters before sleep claims Ace's mind.

And it is one of the best sleeps he ever had. Until Luffy embarrassingly tells the tale on how Ace spent a whole 30 minutes licking the bits of Carbonara on Luffy's face to his mother.

* * *

More lampposts have been erected along the streets,more kits have turned and went in his generation; Ace is the champion of the nation-wide Genetics Quiz Bee, Sabo is their school's Student Council president running in his 2nd term, and Luffy is still Luffy even after a year passes.

Luffy is naive, gullible, too curious for his own good and as bright as the sun, but the world is unrelenting - fast-paced in its change - to which Ace wonders how long can this Luffy last. In just a year, Luffy will reach his peak age and turn. Ace is still silently hoping that Luffy turns into an Alpha even if he promised to Luffy that his classification will not matter to him. It's not that Ace will judge Luffy for his classification, but he believes that Luffy deserves being an Alpha more than anyone else. Luffy is an unbound force of nature, a strong will with ambitious dreams, and that will not fit into a feeble Omega's body.

Just like the kit's mother, who had so much for her if it weren't for her classification as an Omega.

"Pass the ball!" Luffy shouts in a warm afternoon after school, and Zoro, 2 years his senior, immediately obeys. Once he gets his hand on the ball, Luffy poses and shoots, but his shot is blocked by Kidd, who throws a sneer before throwing it overhead to an Alpha who goes by the alias of Killer. Killer shoots for the opposing team, and two points is added to their score. Sabo, who is acting as a referee, blows his whistle and declares Kidd's team as the winner. Ace has an urge to snarl at Kidd who leers at Luffy rather arrogantly, but he sees Sanji do it so the Panther Alpha feel satisfied.

Kidd, the Canadian Lynx Alpha, purses his lips before deciding that a battle of intimidation with a kit in the vicinity is a not a good way to start a fight, and Ace is grateful that Kidd has a morale to keep.

Looking at the two players on Luffy's team, Ace finds it amusing how Zoro, a Sumatran Tiger Alpha, and Sanji, a African Cheetah Alpha, change from the few who tolerated Luffy in court to self-proclaimed best friends of Luffy. Ace doesn't know what to feel in seeing two big cat Alphas be so obedient and submissive to a kit who's known for his ignorance and magnetism to trouble. It's one of the wonders of Luffy's charm, Ace muses, and he takes it as an inkling that Luffy will turn into an Alpha. No sane Alpha is going to bow down to an Omega, that's for sure.

"Well, we lost, but we're going to do our best at the next game!" Luffy declares, and Ace can see that how much Zoro and Sanji believe those words. These two Alphas stand next Luffy's sides, like the right-hand man and left-hand man that they are. "And we're gonna win!"

"We shall see," Kidd says, and quietly leaves with his team. Ace knows that Kidd is still holding his trump card - he _knows_ that Luffy can never compete with them in terms of height and physical ability. Luffy has become a skillful player, but his skills aren't enough to stand against his opponents who are Alphas and Betas. Most of the time, he will have to depend on Zoro and Sanji to win against them, and that is a fact that Kidd has been exploiting every time he and Luffy play.

But, Luffy seems to not mind this at all and continues to train and play with the hope that he'll win some day.

It's another one of Luffy's most endearing traits that Ace wishes Luffy never loses when the kit turns.

Ace's ear twitches and he promptly stands up to catch a kit who came flying to his direction and enthusiastically screaming his name. He catches Luffy successfully - he never fails at this - and sets the kit down. Luffy still has his arms around him as he asks. "Sooo, what do you think of the game? I did pretty awesome, right?"

Ace can't help but smile at Luffy's sparkling eyes and big grin. "Yeah, you did better than last time," Ace says as he pets the kit between his ears. "I'm proud of you." At those words, Luffy traps the Alpha into an embrace and Ace lets out a chuckle when he sees Luffy on his toes.

"Oi, don't ignore us!" Zoro shouts as he walks to the benches along with Sanji and Sabo. Sabo is smiling amusedly while Sanji keeps his cool, though the annoyance is evident on the Cheetah's face.

Luffy blinks before the kit releases Ace and throws his characteristic laugh. "Shishishi, I didn't know Zoro wants a hug, too! Sorry Zoro!" Luffy says in an apologetic but lighthearted tone and latches onto Zoro. The Kendo user had to slouch, so Luffy will not be on his tip-toes, which effectively hides the slight blush on his tan face from the kit. A hot, boiling sensation rises in Ace's stomach and the Panther instinctively pulls Luffy off of Zoro with the excuse that the kit is making the Tiger uncomfortable. Zoro's expression denies this excuse, but Luffy, the gullible little fellow, chooses to believe Ace. Luffy mutters a sorry to Zoro, who looks conflicted between saying "It's okay" to trying to win Luffy back.

Sanji clears his throat, and the tension fades. "It's getting late and I have my shift today at the diner, so I'm going to head out," the Cheetah says.

"I'm going to go, too," Zoro says. "Kuina wants me to go home early from now on."

Sanji scoffs. "Good. It's not polite to make such a kind lady such as your sister worry over some blockhead."

Zoro scrunches his nose in distaste. "Stop talking about my sister like that."

"Awwww," Luffy whines. "But you guys promised!"

"Maybe next time, Luffy." Sanji says, and for a moment, he is hesitant to pet Luffy. Ace notices how cautious and calculated Sanji is to Luffy whenever he is around; it shows that Sanji is one of the few Alphas who uses logic more than his instincts in his daily escapades, and that, Ace believes, is one of the good attributes given to him by his Cheetah descent. Sanji ends up petting Luffy as his means of saying farewell to the kit and bids the others a short verbal good-bye (Zoro's is said rudely).

Zoro does the same and leaves after Sanji; only he, Luffy and Sabo are left and none of them wastes their time in mulling over the absence of others in court.

Sabo picks up his ball and expertly twirls it on his clawed finger. "Lu, do you want to play one-on-one with me?" Sabo asks. "Ace can be the referee."

Ace deflates and Luffy frees from his grip. "Why am I the referee?" He wants to play, too.

Sabo rolls his eyes. "Don't be such a whiny baby. You can play against the winner." But, to Ace, it is clear who the winner will be. He and Sabo aren't varsity players in the basketball team for nothing.

"Don't go easy on me!" Luffy declares as he goes into position. Sabo smirks and starts dribbling the ball, waiting for Ace's whistle to start.

Ace looks at both of his brothers and sighs. "Don't tire yourself too much, Lu," Ace says before he gives a silent pleading to take the play easy to Sabo, who nods. Satisfied, he whistles, and the game begins.

As expected, Sabo has the upper hand in the game, but Luffy's aggressive playing style, fast reflexes and rather flexible body hamper Sabo's drives and some of his jump shots. At the first ten minutes of the game, Sabo is leading. Luffy doesn't looked deterred, however, and keeps his pace. In the 15 minute mark, Sabo slows his pace down as the blonde Alpha notices the rather haggard breaths Luffy is having. Ace gives a worried look and focuses on the kit's behaviour rather than the game. At the 20 minute mark, Sabo abandons the ball a second before Luffy trips and falls to his feet, and catches the kit before the latter's head hits the pavement.

Ace rushes to them to see if Luffy is alright, and mentally curses himself when he didn't stop the game when he saw Luffy's labored breaths. Sabo cradles the kit gently as Luffy squirms in Sabo's arms. "Are you okay?" Sabo asks.

Luffy gives a weak smile as his chest rise and lower in a concerning fashion. "Yeah. 'M tired, das all."

Ace rubs his face in exasperation and rushes to the bench to retrieve his water. He bends down to Luffy's level, uncaps the bottle and gives it to the kit. "Drink." he says, and Luffy accepts the bottle with feeble hands. Luffy downs the water as eagerly like he eats meat, and wipes his mouth after giving the bottle back to Ace.

"Do you feel better now?" Sabo asks in a gentle tone he only uses with Luffy and the kit nods as Luffy snuggles into Sabo's chest.

"'M sleepy." Luffy replies. "Sleepover?" he asks in a manner of invitation.

Sabo smiles. "Yes, we're having a sleepover. You invited me two days ago, remember?" Sabo tightens his grip on Luffy as he carries the kit, bridal style. "Let's get you home and we'll do our sleepover, yes?"

"Yesh!"

Ace looks at the whole scene with distaste, and furrows his eyebrows at the position Luffy is in. "Tell me you're not going to carry Luffy like that all the way to the house," Ace asks Sabo, who seems to bring Luffy closer to him upon hearing the tone in Ace's voice.

"He's comfortable this way," Sabo replies, and then looks at Luffy. "Besides, he's asleep." Hearing the soft breaths and looking at closed eyes indicates it; Ace gives a concerned glance at Luffy and sighs in resignation.

"Fine, let's just go," Ace says as he picks up Sabo's ball, and both of them head to Ace's house.

All the way to his house, Ace keeps his eyes on Sabo and the lack of the usual hand on his irritates him more than he already is. Ace has to remind himself that Sabo is his friend - not an enemy, not a danger to Luffy - even though Sabo's intrusiveness to Luffy's personal space for the last eight years disagrees with him.

**OOOOoooOOOO**

When they arrive at Ace's house, his mother greets them with a warm smile and delicious dinner. It's too bad that Luffy is too tired and doesn't want to wake up even if Ace is screaming 'Meat! Meat!' on the top of his voice; his mother cooked a tender sirloin steak with her special homemade barbecue sauce tonight.

The angel she is - his mother decides to wrap Luffy's share in case Luffy wakes up, and washes the dishes for them so he and Sabo can both have fun. Sabo thanks his mother while Ace sneaks a kiss on her cheek, and Ace notices that he's an inch taller than his mother now.

They go upstairs to Ace's room after dinner, and Ace manages to catch the sound of the phone ringing and his mother answering it with a surprised gasp before he comes away from the vicinity of the sound. He wonders about it for moment, but suddenly remembers what Luffy and Sabo came here for - a sleepover that Luffy suggested two days ago - and lets the blonde Alpha come into his room. Ace turns on the lights and he notices that the first thing Sabo notices is the sleeping kit on Ace's bed. He ignores the wretched feeling in his gut in favor for cleaning some things on his desk.

"What are we going to do when our sleepover facilitator is down for the count?" Sabo asks, amused, as he sits on Ace's bed and starts petting Luffy. Ace gives the blonde Alpha a guarded look before he reminds himself that this is Sabo, Sabo is no harm and - _Sabo you're petting Luffy wrong._

Ace blinks and shakes those intrusive thoughts in his head, before he pulls his desk chair and sits on it with a slight squeak. "We can watch movies or something. I have _The Hangover 2_ and _3._ " Then, he hatches an idea and smirks. "Or Porn." Ace teases, hoping to get a good reaction from Sabo. Ace hasn't watched porn - just once, and he found it awfully weird - and he knows Sabo isn't either; for that, he wants to tease the blonde.

Sabo catches up with Ace's intentions and rolls his eyes. "As if. I think you respect your mother too much to jack off under the same roof," he says. "Though the prospect of watching movies sounds nice. Or marathon shows. How about _Veep_?"

 _Sabo and his political comedies,_ Ace thinks as he shrugs. "Fine with me. I'll start up the computer."

They watch _Veep_ with headphones on the computer, sitting on the floor since it will be awkward to share the same seat. Ace has to admit, the TV show is really funny even though it has some political elements Ace doesn't understand; the Alpha jokes are enjoyable and the actors' act is on-spot. Sadly, they reached the nightly curfew before they can begin with season 2, and his mother pops out to see if they're preparing for sleep. They had no choice but to obey with that smile of hers, especially when there is a tired glow in her usual cheerful eyes.

Sabo sets up his sleeping bag before brushing his teeth in Ace's bathroom, and Ace changes to a white shirt and baggy pants to sleep in. He nestles next to Luffy - he and Luffy had slept a hundred times on the same bed, so Ace is sure Luffy doesn't mind if he sleeps next to the kit - and throws a worried glance at the kit who is still not showing signs of waking up.

He checks Luffy's temperature - like he does every night for the past few days - and identifies Luffy's temperature as normal. At least Luffy didn't have a fever, just tired, though it doesn't quell the feeling of worry inside Ace. Ace tries to think of the numerous possibilities behind Luffy's exhaustion, and pales when he realizes that it may be his fault.

 _Are we tiring him out?_ Ace asks himself as he remembers how he spends his days. He is worried that Luffy is trying to catch up with his and Sabo's everyday doings as an Alpha, and Luffy can't keep up because he isn't an Alpha. Though he does not remember Luffy exhausting himself just to catch up with him and Sabo, Ace decides that he should slow his pace down for tomorrow, just so Luffy has time to recover. He'll even give his share of his breakfast for tomorrow to the kit if that gives him an energy boost.

His thoughts are interrupted when Luffy snuggles to him, to which prompts Ace to pet the kit. Luffy lets out a satisfied purr, asking him in a nonverbal manner to continue his ministrations, and the Alpha feels a bit relieved. Ace obediently does what he is told, satisfied that Luffy is safe and content with his touch.

An urge to nuzzle against Luffy rises from his stomach; when he is about to do so, Sabo clears his throat and Ace jolts back to earth. Sabo gives him a disapproving look - something that Sabo is fond of doing whenever Ace gets too touchy with Luffy - and quietly wriggles his way into his sleeping bag.

Ace feels awkward for being caught red-handed on something embarrassing by Sabo and is about to say goodnight when he finds Sabo staring at his ceiling with a serious look in his blue eyes. A seed worry plants itself on his heart with the thought of his best friend being bothered by a problem that Sabo claims he can fix, but, in reality, couldn't. He is about to question about it when Sabo begins to speak.

"Ace, can I ask you something?" Sabo says, and the sudden seriousness in Sabo's voice makes Ace jolt.

"Sure, sure. _Anything_." Ace says, stressing the last word. He and Luffy know that Sabo is seen as a problem fixer by most people - he is _the_ Student Council President, after all - but many forget that he's also a human with problems as well, one that leaves physical and emotional scars in its wake. And he and Luffy are his only band-aids. Luffy might be asleep now, but Ace is all ears; he'll listen to whatever Sabo tells him and Luffy will give Sabo a big hug in the morning. And if Sabo is willing, he and Luffy will be absolutely willing to help Sabo in any way they can.

They are sworn brothers, after all.

Sabo gulps and his body language says he is a bit nervous. Ace doesn't pressure him. He waits. "If...someone tries to pursue Luffy, what would you do?"

Ace blinks and furrows his eyebrows at the question. Odd. That isn't what he is expecting at all. "Pursue how?"

"Romantically." the Jaguar chokes out.

Something primal, dangerous and definitely _angry_ threatens to burst from his chest, but he tries to rear it using his logic. Irritation simmers in his mind, but he keeps a calm composure around Sabo. "Romantically, huh? As of now, Lu can't be pursued romantically because he's a kit -" _I need to protect him._ "It's a bit complicated to date Luffy if his classification hasn't been revealed yet -" _I won't let you touch him_ "- and Luffy can't make good decisions about this stuff. So, I'd say to the guy who tried, _'Thank you for your time, but Luffy isn't ready.' "_

Sabo pauses and looks at Ace. "But, what if the person tries after Luffy has turned?"

"Well," Ace begins. "I'd still won't allow it. Luffy can't make good social decisions by himself and I don't want him to get hurt." _Hurt him and I will ki -_ "Is someone...interested in Luffy?" _If its Roronoa and Vi -_

Sabo seemingly chokes and brushes his hair with his fingers. The flitting eyes, the unnecessary twitching and the _blush_ on the blonde Alpha's cheeks give Ace puzzle pieces to work with. But, the memories of Sabo's kindness and gentleness towards the kit that induced so many questions to the people around them - including Ace - completes the mystery puzzle. The primal instinct breaks from its chains and Ace looks at his best friend, appalled and _betrayed_ , at the realization _. How dare_ he? "Are you _-_ " Ace stutters in complete disbelief. "D-do you _like_ Lu that way?" The look that flashes on Sabo's face is a grim confirmation. "Since _when_?"

"Six, seven years ago? I don't know," Sabo replies, frustrated on himself. "I never thought I'd - "

The boiling, primal instinct claws to his chest, leaving trails of anger on Ace's expression. "But, Luffy is a kit! He's not an O - " he stops himself. "We're not even sure what his classification is."

Sabo looks conflicted upon hearing the fact, but he brushes it away with a look of determination. "I don't think I would care."

This only infuriates Ace further. " _Don't care_? Jesus, Sabo! What if Luffy turns to an Alpha? What then, _hm_? You can't - Alpha to Alpha? It's just _wrong,"_ Ace says. "And if he ever turns to an Omega," he pauses and a bad taste is left on his tongue when he thinks of that possibility. "Are you even _sure_ that Luffy will _like you back_? He sees you and me as his brothers, Sabo! And we're supposed to keep it that way!"

"I know that!" Sabo sits up and says, half-shouting, half-growling. When he realizes his actions, he calms himself down by running his hand through his blonde locks. He sighs. "It's just that...I would've _thought_ you would support me." Blue eyes fixate on him, and the look reminds Ace of how Jaguars stalk their prey before they pounce and crush the skull of their prey. "I guess not…"

"So, you _are_ serious about Luffy?" Ace asks, throwing a glance at the sleeping kit. "He's… He's just a freaking _kit_ , Sabo! Luffy can't - " _Can't leave me._ "He's not - " _Not yours._ "He's _our_ brother!" _He's mine._

"That can change, can't it?" Sabo calmly replies. "We're not Luffy's blood brothers, Ace. I have _every right_ to pursue him as much as _you_ do."

Ace looks at Sabo, scandalized. "What the hell are you talking about?" he pauses and resists the urge to growl. "Are you… You don't _want_ to become Luffy's brother anymore?"

Outrage flashes in Sabo's face before the Jaguar Alpha calms himself down. "Of course I do! Luffy is precious to me, and anything that he values is as much as precious as he; our brotherhood is Luffy's treasure, and for that I will never trade it for anything in this world," Sabo explains. "But, I _love_ Luffy and I hope you understand that as much as I want to be part of Luffy's life, I want to be someone different in his eyes."

Ace feels his claws unsheathe and quickly concludes that if they continue this conversation, there's a fight bound to happen. "We're not having this conversation," he declares, resisting the urge to explode and pounce at his friend right here and now. "Good night." Ace throws the blankets over him and Luffy, and curls protectively against the kit.

He hears Sabo sigh and say, "You know, I only told you about this because you're as important as Luffy to me and your opinion matters to me because if I tried pursuing Luffy it will affect our friendship…" the Jaguar Alpha begins. "I would never have thought that you would confirm my suspicions…" Sabo sighs again and the soft crinkling sound of the sleeping bag indicates that Sabo has laid on his sleeping bag. "Good night." And the blonde Alpha doesn't speak after that.

Ace softly sighs as he tries to calm himself from Sabo's infuriating words; despite this, he manages to smile when Luffy snuggles on his chest, oblivious to the world and Sabo's feelings. He wraps a protective arm around Luffy when the kit moans in his sleep, and Sabo's words begin to resurface from the depths of his mind. Abandon their brotherhood for the sake of the Jaguar Alpha's romantic and certainly unrequited feelings? Preposterous. The whole reason why they formed this brotherhood in the first place is to give Luffy a sense of family and save him from the feelings of loneliness at times when his Gramps isn't here (which is 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for the past _five years_ ; the old geezer can't even be bothered to _call_ ). And for that, Luffy is _happy, content_ \- it's his most prized possession after Shanks' hat. For Sabo to drop something so precious and treasured by Luffy - how can Ace believe that Sabo truly loves Luffy?

And the thought of Sabo _possessing_ Luffy when he's supposed to _shared,_ it only makes his territorial instinct heighten and his desire to sink his claws on Sabo's shoulders grow stronger.

Ace snaps from his homicidal thoughts and cringes on how Luffy can make him feel this way.

Luffy squirms in his grip, prompting Ace to look at the kit. " _Acccceeeeeeh,_ " Luffy murmurs in his half-sleep state. "Aceh?"

"I'm here, Lu." Ace whispers, careful not to wake Sabo. Not after what he heard from and thought about his friend. "Is there something wrong?"

Luffy tangles his tail with Ace, who responds playfully. "Hungry…"

Ace smiles. Of course. Luffy hadn't eaten dinner yet. "There's some left-over steak at the kitchen," he says as he sits up, pulling the sluggish kit who is murmuring the word 'Meat'. "C'mon twerp." but Luffy is just too sluggish and he almost falls from the edge of the bed if it isn't for Ace who immediately catches him. Ace glances at Sabo who is still deep in his slumber. The Panther Alpha sighs in relief when Sabo isn't showing signs of waking.

"Carry meeeee," Luffy whines, stretching his arms around Ace. Ace simply sighs as he pulls Luffy's bottom up so he can carry Luffy bridal style. Luffy happily snuggles in his embrace as Ace maneuvers carefully and quietly towards the room of his door that Luffy opens for them.

The living room is dim and silent as they descend downstairs and he has to put Luffy down so he can find the light switch of the kitchen. Once Ace has found it and turned the lights on, Luffy happily sits down on the chair while Ace pulls out the leftover steak that his mother graciously wrapped for Luffy and puts it in the microwave for heating. A delicious smell wafts from the microwave when it dings, and Ace has to put Luffy still so that the kit will not jump on him. Once it's warm enough, Luffy gobbles the food with much gusto and Ace mixes some juice for Luffy. Luffy says 'Thank you' but fails because of the food in his mouth, to which Ace chastises him but gives a playful and messy rub on his hair.

Ace sneaks a lick on Luffy's cheek to get a grain of rice, and Luffy immediately hisses and hugs his food protectively. Ace only chuckles.

Luffy is a great distraction from the earlier conversation, and Ace understands how Sabo may have fallen in love with the kit.

It only makes Ace's territorial instincts grow stronger.

The telephone in the living room rings, distracting Ace from his thoughts. The Alpha quickly answers it before it can wake his mother. "Hello, Gol Residences," Ace greets.

An unfamiliar voice greets him back. "Greetings, is Portgas D. Rogue there?"

Ace's instincts scream that the man on the other line is an Alpha and he quickly decides not to call his mother for her safety. "I'm sorry, but she's already asleep. I can leave her your message, though. I'm her son, Gol D. Ace." _Who's an Alpha,_ Ace wants to add.

"Ah," the stranger says with a familiar tone of recognition, and there is a light sniff in the background. "You must be Luffy's friend then," Ace is surprised for a moment, but it fades and replaced with an urge to ask questions about the stranger; the stranger doesn't give him a chance. "Very well. Please pass this on to your mother, and to your mother only. Do not _tell_ this to my son," Ace is confused momentarily, then he realizes the possible identity of the stranger. Ace, however, isn't given the time to ponder because the words that this stranger says paralyzes all his thoughts and actions.

The following words _crushes_ Ace and his connection to the world, but regains it soon after when he hears Luffy's concerned voice asking him if he is okay. A look of remorse and guilt flashes through Ace's expression as he looks at Luffy, and Luffy immediately stands up and rushes towards Ace to give the Alpha a hug. The kit's hug is enough to stop Ace from processing the earlier words.

Ace doesn't even notice when the stranger ends the call in favor of hugging Luffy back.

Ace finds it ironic because it is not him who needs a comforting embrace.

The next morning, Sabo finds Luffy crying his tears out in his mother's arms and Ace explains everything even when the stranger has asked Ace to tell this to his mother only. Ace feels that as Luffy's sworn brother, Sabo deserves to know what happened, but in the recesses of the Panther's mind, he just wants an excuse for Sabo not to pursue Luffy and change the dynamics of their friendship.

Sabo is shocked and blue; he doesn't say anything besides a quick nod to appease Ace's territorial desires. And for that, Ace is relieved and guilty. He deserves another Fist of Love for what he did.

To use a comatosed Garp and the severity of his injuries from defending two civilians who were kidnapped by pirates*, Ace feels he has scratched someone on the eye again.

* * *

Luffy wishes to celebrate his 15th birthday with his grandfather. So, after getting his driver's license and his mother winning a brand new car in a lottery, Ace decides to drive Luffy, his mother and Shanks to East Blue General Hospital at East Blue City, where Garp is currently being confined, as his birthday gift to the kit.

No-one objects to Luffy's wish, even if Garp may not wake up on time to see Luffy in his peak age. Or if the Marine will ever wake up at all.

Ace parallel parks the car just before a red convertible tries to park in his spot, and Ace earns a glare from the green-haired driver with swirly glasses. Ace rolls his eyes in the driver's childishness as the red convertible drives pass, and Shanks, Luffy and his mother unload themselves from the car after he switches the engine off. Shanks excitedly explains East Blue City while Luffy practically jumps in excitement; his mother gracefully retrieves the bouquet of white camellia flowers and a pot of cactus flower from the front seat as Shanks points some buildings and explains their significance. Ace understands the white camellias - they symbolize 'Waiting for You' after all - but the cactus flower? Leave it up to the kit to pick the weirdest of flowers just because Luffy thinks it suits his grandfather.

As he watches Luffy fuss over something Shanks says, Ace cannot help but wonder how Luffy can stay this way, when the kit's only relative and family is in a coma. Ace deduces that Luffy is just strong-willed enough to maintain his happy-go-lucky self because he still believes his grandfather will wake up and come home; though, it does not mean that Luffy is not vulnerable to doubts and loneliness. He sees Luffy as a blooming flower with fragile petals - any more touches and the flower can die - and that is the reason why Ace tries his best to keep Luffy happy and away from those negative feelings. He wants to protect _his_ Luffy of nine years ago, the sweet and gullible twerp who always follows him around wonders when will his grandfather finally come home.

Funny, how Ace was so adamant for Luffy to change a few years back.

"Ace?" Luffy calls, and Ace snaps from his stupor. Luffy is staring at him - rather, inspecting his expression - and Ace backs a bit because of Luffy's close proximity. Luffy smiles when Ace moves and he links his arm around the Alpha with the small pot of cactus flower in his hand. "C'mon! What are you standing there for?" Luffy asks enthusiastically, but his body language says otherwise. The slight shiver in Luffy's arms tells Ace that Luffy is nervous to see his grandfather - _afraid_ that there's a thin white sheet covering his grandfather's body - and the Alpha gives Luffy a gentle squeeze. Luffy stares back at Ace as the Panther smiles.

"It's gonna be okay, Lu," Ace whispers, and a glint of vulnerability and uncertainty flashes in Luffy's owlish eyes. "I'm sure the old geezer is going to love your gift." _He's going to wake up soon,_ is what Ace wants to say, though Ace is afraid that Luffy might see through the lie.

The color in Luffy's face returns as he affectionately nuzzles against Ace and he pulls the Alpha forward. "Let's go see Grandpa!" the kit says, and Ace smiles when the enthusiasm is genuine this time. Ace allows Luffy to drag him into the hospital with his mother and Shanks chuckling behind them.

The hospital is silent and a bit gloomy, though Ace and his companions are not deterred because of Luffy's cheerful antics. Luffy's cheerfulness dims a bit when they reach the floor where Garp is held, and Ace makes sure that Luffy doesn't let go of his hand. In trained steps, Luffy leads Ace to Garp's room, and the kit opens the door for Ace. The first thing he sees is Garp and it makes him remember a memory from a year ago.

He remembers themorning after he told his mother about what that stranger - Luffy's father - told him; his mother looked like she was about to cry and had to contact Shanks to tell the news. Luffy was asleep in his room - he sent Luffy to sleep because he cannot gather the courage to tell the kit the news - and by the time Luffy woke up, his mother told everything and Luffy broke down crying. Luffy's sobs were enough to jolt Sabo to reality and come rushing downstairs, claws and fangs unleashed, but his aggressive stance melts into a confused one when Luffy started mumbling things about his grandfather.

Ace had explained everything to Sabo back then, and made his friend promise - Ace still feels guilty about it; how can he take advantage of a situation like that - to keep being Luffy's brother because that's what he needed, family. Sabo agreed, and Shanks came knocking on their doorstep with his car parked at the front lawn. With breakfast unfinished and the house a mess, his mother entrusted the house to him while she and Luffy will go East Blue City, where Garp is currently confined.

Even after they left, the shock hasn't left their system, and by the time Sabo went home and Luffy and his mother returned, Luffy latched onto him like a lifeline, crying and sobbing about Garp's poor state. He didn't know what exactly happened to Garp - Luffy isn't a very good explainer - so his mother came and talked to him about Garp, his reasons for leaving Luffy and the job he has to keep for his family's safety.

It made Ace rethink everything that he thought about Garp, and now, he feels sorry for ever doubting his love for Luffy. To keep such a dangerous job at his age just so Luffy will be well-fed and educated and safe from his son's dangerous job, Garp truly deserves the epithet of 'Hero of the Marines'.

And now, the strong 'Hero of the Marines', the Alpha belonging to the strong line of the Barbary Lion descent, looks feeble, vulnerable and _peaceful -_ something that Garp should never be associated to. In the confinements of this hospital ward, there is no sound of boisterous laughter or the wake of his disastrous escapades, only the numerous flowers on his tableside and the quiet beeping of the heart monitor that indicates he's still alive. To Ace, Garp looks like he's only sleeping - he knows that Luffy is thinking that, too - but Garp never sleeps this way, no. Garp is a loud snorer and will never sleep through a night of Luffy crying on his bedside and pleading him to wake up.

Dr. Kureha, a Beta Abyssinian cat who is a former military doctor and the best comatose specialist in all of the country, comes to visit them a little after they settled into the room, and tells that Garp's vital signs are normal and that he's doing well (for a comatose patient). Though, she never tells the answer to the question Luffy came here for: When will his grandfather wake up.

Luffy does not ask her the question; he's asked too many times and he knows she will never give a definite one. So, Luffy thanks her with his bright smiles before she leaves to their privacy, not before telling him to 'Be Happy'. To others, it seems insensitive, but to Luffy - Ace knows that it's a great boost of strength for the kit in this time of desperation and need. And for that, Ace is grateful of the doctor.

Luffy sets down the cactus flower and sits on the chair next to his grandfather's bedside. Ace's mother ushers Ace to stand next to Luffy, which Ace full-heartedly complies. Immediately, Luffy wraps his hand around Ace's, and the Alpha gives Luffy a gentle squeeze. Ace can see tears in the corner of Luffy's eyes, but Luffy maintains his composure because Ace is here to give him strength.

"Grandpa, it's me. I came here to visit again," Luffy begins, and the forced cheerful tone in Luffy's voice claws straight to Ace's heart. "Sorry if I got a little busy; school was really hard, but Ace and Sabo were there to help me get through with it. Did you know? They're my brothers now, and they always keep me happy when I get lonely and miss you."

Luffy sniffs, but continues. "I also bought you a cactus flower," Ace sneaks a glance at the small yellow plant that still seems to outstand itself amidst the grand bouquet of flowers from Garp's marine friends. "When I saw it, it reminded me of you. I thought that cacti are prickly and really painful to touch, but they're also beautiful and amazing, then I thought you're just like that too: you're a bit strict and likes to punch me in the head, but you always tuck me to bed and sing me the Bink's Sake even if you hate that song, and you made me move to Fuusha so I can meet my best friends Ace and Sabo! A-and Auntie Rogue said that giving flowers is a sign that you love someone, so I want to give it to you because I love y-you and I miss you and I always wonder when will you come back," The kit chokes the last word, and Ace starts to brush Luffy's hand with his thumb as a way to comfort.

Luffy brushes his tears away with his free hand and does his best to smile. "Y'know Grandpa, I'm 15 now. That means I'm at my peak age. People say it's special, so I came here to show you that I'm all grown up. Well, almost...But I hope you don't mind if I throw the party here!I know that you like going to parties, especially mine, and now that you're finally home, I thought why not hold the party here so you won't feel left out! Let's enjoy my 15th birthday tomorrow like we did before, okay?" There is no reply, as expected, and Ace wonders how painful that is to speak to someone who is once animate before. "Oh yeah, did you know? We're sleeping over Uncle Rayleigh's house tonight! I know you don't like him, but I spoke to him once when I first visited here and he's super nice! He looks super old though, like you, but he has a really pretty wife!" Shanks chokes out a laugh. "She won't tell me her age, though...But anyway, they're coming to the party later, so I hope you don't go berserk when you see them, okay?" Something in Luffy's voice tells Ace that the kit is actually expecting his grandfather to wake up and whack Rayleigh and his wife - whoever they are - for attending Luffy's party, and his heart clenches when Luffy's eyes confirm that.

Luffy smiles. "I-I made you a party hat, by the way, for the party later… I made everyone party hats, but I want you to know that I made yours special. I-It's because I love you so much and I don't think there aren't enough chances for me to say that before you leave for your job," the kit says. He sounds so happy, though the tightness of his grip on Ace's hand and the fact that he hasn't let go of Ace's hand since tells the Alpha otherwise. "Hey Grandpa...For my birthday gift, you don't have to get me anything anymore. As long as you wake up...That's the best gift you can give me! So please...wake up soon, okay?" Luffy's voice finally breaks at the last word and the kit lets out a tear.

The sight clenches Ace's heart and burns his throat, and Ace lets go of Luffy's hand so he can wrap an arm around Luffy's shoulders. "Hey, Gramps," Ace begins. "I just want you to know that I'll be doing the protecting from now on...At least, until you wake up. So rest assured. Lu is in good hands."

Luffy smiles at Ace and leans back on him. "Thank you Ace," Luffy murmurs; Ace knows that Luffy isn't thanking him for the protection, but for fulfilling Garp's duty that the older Alpha has taken to heart. Ace is now carrying the load of responsibilities off of Garp's shoulders until the older Alpha is strong enough - or stronger - to carry them. And for that, Luffy is thankful.

Though, Ace doesn't need Luffy's 'thank you'. He's doing this because he wants to. Garp may be insane, but he's family. "Anytime, Lu." _and I'm sorry for ever doubting you, Gramps._

The party starts soon after Rayleigh, an Alpha of the African Golden Cat descent, and his wife, Shakky, a Beta of the Norwegian Forest cat descent, arrive. Ace finds it amusing and shocking to find out that Shakky is best friends with his mother, Rayleigh is the best friend of his father and the whole reason why his father met his mother, and Shanks is - or _was -_ their lackey of their group alongside Buggy, Luffy's Genetics teacher (Luffy sees Buggy in a new light now, or rather, as Shanks' _sidekick_ now), to which Rayleigh describes them as ' _the duo who tried to get into Rosa's pants but failed_ ' (Shanks became as red as his hair). After a small chat and Rayleigh commenting that Ace is somehow like his father, Luffy starts giving out party hats and Shakky compliments Luffy's artistic skill. Luffy seems to get along with Rayleigh and Shakky like a typical three-member family, which reminds Ace about Luffy's real father who is unsurprisingly not present. The party is a bit small and too modest unlike Luffy's previous ones in Fuusha village, but this party is also unlike the others simply because Garp is finally present. Ace smiles when he looks at Garp with a ridiculous red party hat that Luffy and Sabo made together (Sabo can't go because of his parents so he helps Luffy in the preparations as compensation) and while the comatosed Alpha is silent and unmoving, Ace likes to think that the old geezer is smiling within.

His mother finally brings out the smoked ham and they eat it around Garp so as to make the older Alpha feel like he's at a dining table once again (and not in a hospital, surrounded by tubes and devices and flowers).

The party ends when Dr. Kureha visits them to tell that visiting hours is over, and his mother gives her a piece of ham before the doctor leaves. They say their individual goodbyes to Garp as they leave the room one by one. Ace waits for Luffy, however, and he watches somberly as Luffy doesn't say any farewell to Garp, only soft murmurs of sweet nothings and a kiss on the forehead. Luffy begins to tear up, to which Ace simply brushes away with his thumb. The kit thanks Ace and before they leave, Ace gives one last look at Garp, just in case this is the last time they see each other.

The red party hat sits quietly next to the cactus flower, and in the white walls and flowers of the room, they stand out the best.

**OOOOoooOOOO**

It's a quiet drive to Rayleigh's house. Rayleigh welcomes them to their humble abode and Shakky prepares them their rooms. They eat dinner with cheerful chatter and tell stories of their individual lives and past memories. Ace will've listened to Rayleigh's tales of courting his mother and the embarrassing story of Shank's his first love if only his attention isn't fixated on Luffy, who laughs and smiles to stories he's not even listening to. Soon after dinner, Rayleigh starts bringing out the alcohol and cups, and gets pinched by the ear when he asks if Luffy and Ace want to drink as well. As a responsible mother, his mother dismisses him and Luffy, and tells them to go to bed before Rayleigh and Shanks create a ruckus loud enough to keep them awake until the morning. Ace and Luffy quietly retreat to their shared guest room, a wide two-bed room where they will temporarily stay.

"So," Ace begins. "Which bed do you want, Lu?"

Smiles and laughter gone, Luffy bites his lower lip. "Can we just...share?" he says. "If that's okay."

Ace looks at the two beds which can only hold one person each then back at Luffy who's starting to remove his facade. From the beginning, there has only been one choice. Ace shrugs and smiles. "Sure, why not?"

A genuine smile returns on Luffy's face as he gives Ace a quick hug before scrambling to the bathroom to do his necessities. After he and Luffy are done, they climb together onto the bed and throw the covers on top of themselves. Ace finds it a little cramp, and he's already near the edge of the bed, but the look of security and peace on Luffy's expression makes it all worthwhile. The Alpha lies on his side and brushes his fingertips against Luffy's scar. Luffy doesn't flinch; instead, he leans to the touch.

"Ace?" Luffy murmurs, and he sounds so fragile and vulnerable that Ace's protective instincts surge throughout his whole body. "Do you think Grandpa's gonna wake up?"

Ace purses his lip. "That's a tough question, Lu," he answers honestly, because if he lies to make Luffy feel better, Luffy will only read straight through Ace and ask why he's lying. "Your grandfather had a major accident - " Ace remembers hearing the horrible news of Garp saving two children being hostage by a group of pirates in expense for a head injury and a cut that made Garp almost lose his hand. He was praised by the media and the Marines, but Garp's heroic deed sent his only family in tears. _._ " - but he's strong, so I know he'll wake up when the time is right."

A glint of hope sparkles in Luffy's eyes and Ace hopes that it does not get extinguished. "You think so?"

Ace cards his fingers through Luffy's hair as a way of comforting him. "Of course. I don't think you're scary grandpa is going to go down that easily."

Luffy smiles. "Hm, he won't." The kit agrees.

Ace mimics that smile. "Do you feel better now, Lu?"

The kit nods. "You always tell me the right things to make me feel good."

"So do you." _And you have no idea how many times you did,_ Ace thinks.

They stay like this - Luffy comfortably resting inside Ace's embrace while listening to the Alpha's heartbeat - for most of the night. It's cramped, Ace is almost at the edge, and Shanks and Rayleigh are finally getting noisy at the living room, but Ace is washed with a sense of comfort and serenity that only Luffy can give him. He feels safe, warm and content with Luffy; the kit's soft scent slowly lulls him to sleep.

When Ace is finally at peace, the kit grips his shirt and nuzzles against his shoulder. Ace opens his eyes and looks at the kit questioningly.

Luffy looks drowsy, but is fighting sleepiness to talk to Ace. He stares back at Ace with his bright owlish eyes and a warm smile on his lips. He leans kisses Ace on the cheek and says: "I like you."

The kiss makes his cheeks burn bright red and all his senses alert and awake. A strange sensation bubbles in his stomach as his lips unconsciously form a smile, and Ace brings Luffy close to his chest because he doesn't want Luffy to see him so red.

Luffy doesn't need to his face; the little kit already knows what's happening. "You're funny, Ace!" he says. "But, I really like you. A lot. You're my very first friend in Fuusha and you always made me smile. You protect me from bullies and you play so awesomely at basketball. You always feed me, play with me and make me feel I'm not alone. You even drove me to Grandpa even though you're busy! And because of that and many other things, you're my most favorite person!" Luffy explains, and Ace refuses to admit to himself that he's feeling giddy about this.

"...I'm...thankful that you consider me as your favorite person," Ace starts; he's feeling embarrassed by now but underneath that layers of embarrassment is a sense of pride emanating from the fact that he is Luffy's favorite person - not Shanks, not Sabo, not Garp. "But why are you telling me this out of the blue?"

He feels Luffy yawn on his shoulder. "I'm afraid that...I would forget telling you my feelings because I would think that I have a lot of time for that, but then if something happens and you disappear, I would never get the chance to tell you how I really felt…" the kit drowsily explains, and Ace realizes that this is what Luffy currently regrets to his grandfather.

"Don't worry, Lu. You have every time in the world. I'll never leave you," Ace reassures, rubbing circles on his lithe back. "I'll always protect you, remember?"

Luffy hums in approval. "Then I'll tell you my feelings everyday, so you would never forget…" the kit mumbles. "I really like you Ace...I like you, I like you, I like you; more than any meat in the world!"

Ace chuckles, and his embarrassment fades with Luffy's words. The sensation in his stomach grows and the urge to tell Luffy his feelings grows. But, he's not Luffy; that's embarrassing to tell to a kit who may not be listening anymore because he's too sleepy. "Go to sleep, twerp," Ace says. "You can tell me more in the morning."

Luffy says a gentle ' _Okay_ ' before his breaths become soft and shallow. Ace stares at Luffy with stars in his brown eyes and leans to kiss Luffy on the forehead.

"Sweet dreams." he says and wishes that his kiss is more than enough to tell Luffy how much love and adoration he feels for the latter.

* * *

The Goldenweek passes and they go back to Fuusha village just in time for classes. They fall back to their normal routines, and Luffy goes back to his happy-go-lucky self like his Grandfather isn't confined in a hospital. Though the kit spends most of his nights with Ace instead of his house more than before; Ace doesn't mind this and welcomes Luffy with open arms.

His normal routine - along with others - is disrupted by a slip of paper that's not his test or a love letter. It's a poster on a bulletin board calling the attention of all Alphas in school to stay after dismissal at the chemistry lab.

As a Genetics expert and deducing from the room itself, Ace doesn't need to guess what he needs to do there.

So when dismissal ends, Ace instructs Luffy to wait at the library until his and Sabo's important meeting with Red Nosed-Buggy, their Genetics Department Head, finishes. Luffy nods obediently and Ace notices the lack of enthusiasm in the kit when just yesterday he is as lively as a sugar-driven chipmunk. Ace doesn't get a chance to inquire about it when Buggy calls him and Sabo from the hallway so they can start the session.

Sabo and Ace calmly sits on the vacant chairs next to Zoro and Sanji, and a second later Kidd and Law arrive to sit across them. This is all of them, Ace notes, since there are only about 12 Alphas in the village as of now: Shanks, Mayor Woop Slap, Zoro's older sister Kuina, three Alpha adults Ace doesn't know and the rest of them. Once they're complete, Buggy, a Siamese cat Beta, pulls out a ziplock bag containing some sort of cloth and eyes each one of them. Ace remarks that the room is enclosed and Buggy is wearing medical gloves; well, if this is going to be one of _those_ sessions, then Buggy is right with wearing gloves if he is going to touch that cloth inside the zip lock bag.

Buggy clears his throat under the tight scrutiny of the Alphas before him. "Now, you're all probably wondering why you're here - I am, too, but this is my job and I have been doing this for six years; no-one's well-equipped in doing _this_ besides me," the Beta begins. "To answer your questions, and I'm going to be frank about this, this is a special Alpha-only session that will train you brats how to control yourselves when someone goes in a damn heat cycle."

Ace fights the urge to laugh when Zoro makes a face of disgust while Kidd is trying to look for a way out. "I know, I know, it's disgusting, but suck it up because you Alphas are very, _very_ vulnerable and weak to heat pheromones, and the only way to keep your ridiculous strength in a leash is to _expose_ you in heat pheromones so you can develop your own way of resisting them," Buggy explains. "Now listen, I know some of you brats don't take my subject seriously, but in any case, _please_ take this session with consideration. You Alphas are freaking dangerous, and I rather not hear stories of any of you pouncing on an unsuspecting Omega in heat...especially since we have one Omega currently living in the village." The image of his mother flashes in his mind, and suddenly Ace sits up straight, alert.

"Now," Buggy begins as his hands touch the seal that keeps the cloth in the bag. "In here is a shirt belonging to an Omega - and no, it's not from Ace's mom," Ace sags in relief. "I had to pull a lot of connections to get this from an Omega in heat, so I hope you brats appreciate how I try to make this session as educated and practical as possible," Buggy's stance changes to a defensive one as he lifts the bag with his fingers on the seal. "This is what an Omega in heat smells like." Buggy opens the seal of the zip-lock and for a moment, Ace doesn't smell anything strange.

Ace regrets thinking that when a strong, sweet smell assaults his nose, prompting his senses to heighten dramatically like he's in a mad sugar rush. He feels he is losing his connection with his rational mind as his instincts scream to touch, bite, suck and mark anyone who possesses that sweet smell, and before he knows it, his nose temporarily loses its ability to smell as Buggy sprays something rancid on his face.

"This is why I don't _like_ doing this job!" Buggy screams to himself, holding a spray bottle towards Ace. When Ace finally grasps his senses and logic back, he finds Buggy at the corner near the door, while the others are standing up, ready to pounce at Buggy with mad looks on their eyes. He notes that he's a few feet from his seat; he probably had reacted and tried to pounce Buggy.

Even though Ace knew that this is going to be a training for Alpha to control their urges when they encounter an Omega in a heat cycle, the Panther Alpha did not expect that he can be driven to the brink by his instincts.

Buggy quickly seals the bag and sprays something onto the air; Immediately, Ace is assaulted with the rancid odor and he retreats back to his seat to get farther away from the smell. The others cover their noses as Buggy regains his composure.

"What the hell is that?!" Kidd complains. "It's disgusting!"

"It's my special-made pepper spray against horny brats like you," Buggy says; Ace blinks in confusion and looks at his pants, and he blushes. "It's a combination of liquified territorial scent marks from willing connections," The Beta seems proud of his invention; Buggy wasa known chemist before he retired to become a school teacher in Fuusha, for unknown reasons. "It's designed to snap you out of the trance that your instincts put you into," the former chemist explains. "When Alphas - in which case, _you_ \- smell heat pheromones, their rational mind shuts down and they think basely on pure instincts. An untrained Alpha will do _anything_ just to mate with that Omega in heat, and they're very hard to incapacitate, especially if they belong to the Big Cat descents." Buggy stares at Ace, Sabo, Zoro, Sanji and Law.

"You saw what Gol did, didn't you? He pounced at me with his claw and fangs unsheathed; if I didn't react quickly enough and sprayed him, he would have bit my hand off and steal the shirt from me," a sense of shame washes over Ace, but Buggy quickly gets none of it. "I'm not shaming Gol here; I know that all of you would've pounced at me, it's just that Gol here is faster than any of you. Though I praise Vinsmoke here for his efforts, the number one most used techniques to resist heat pheromones is to distract yourselves with pain. Appreciate the quick thinking, but please go to the clinic after this before someone decides to tell the Head that I harmed any one of you." The familiar iron scent of blood drifts to Ace's nose and the Alpha, in surprise, realizes that Sanji must have bit his arm to keep himself from pouncing at Buggy. Ironically, the Cheetah looks the least shaken out of all of the Alphas in the room, and he's the one who is actually bleeding.

"The first session ends here," Buggy says. "I expect you brats to be back next week, same day and same time, with possible techniques to resist the heat. You will be applying those techniques when you get another shot of this stink bomb." The Beta grins as he waves the zip-locked shirt in front of them, and Ace pales. He does not like what happened today and the prospecting of smelling that scent again sends him cold shivers.

He felt like a puppet before - a one-tracked mind who knows no morals or mercy. He feels horrible; what if his mother forgets to take her heat pills* and he can't control herself?

"Ace, you okay?" Sabo asks. The blonde is short out of breath and there is a small dent on his pants. The Panther Alpha notices that Zoro and Kidd are gone, quite possibly to the comfort rooms. He can hear Buggy snicker and promises that he'll get back to that clown-like teacher.

"Yeah…" Ace says. He cards his fingers through his hair and realizes that it's sweaty. Ugh. Now, he wants to go home and take a bath. "Let's go home...I'm not in the mood for basketball today."

Sabo smiles, grateful that his friend is feeling the same. "Me too. Let's fetch Luffy and get out of this room."

Ace nods and Sabo helps him out of the room. The Panther still remembers how the sweet, sickly scent smells like and wishes he can forget it. It's driving him crazy.

When Luffy greets him back with a grin and large doe eyes, he is able to forget about the scent altogether.

They walk together and part when Sabo takes the other direction (Sabo hesitates before he gives the kit a hug, and Ace feels a bit guilty for conditioning Sabo this way); once Sabo is gone, Luffy reaches for Ace's hand and the two walk together hand in hand.

His mother greets them with a warm smile and delicious paella, and the angel she is, she decides that she will wash the dishes this time so Ace and Luffy can spend more time together. She only advises Ace to be quiet as Luffy throws his arms in enthusiasm and runs to Ace's room, and Ace makes a noncommittal sound before he follows Luffy to his room.

He finds the kit holding two controllers in his room.

"Oh no, Lu," Ace warns as he leans on his doorway. "We're going to finish homework first before games. Now, show me your homework."

Luffy pouts and hands a crumpled worksheet from his bag. It's a Punnett Square exercise, and Ace is immediately reminded of the time he tried to guess Luffy's genome and classification. Ace pushes that memory away. "It's too hard!" Luffy complains. "Buggy didn't explain any of it!"

Ace raises an eyebrow. "Were you listening or sleeping through his lecture?" When the Alpha gets a whistle as a response, he sighs. "Lu!"

"Sorry, okay! He was so boring!" Luffy complains. Ace only sighs before he sits on his desk chair and motions the kit to come and sit on his lap. Luffy does what he is told and Ace puts down the crumpled piece of paper on his desk. Ace begins his explanation about Punnett Squares and its usage to guess genomes, and Luffy focuses attentively even if he hates the subject. After more explanations, Luffy is able to answer the exercises questions, and after another round of telling Luffy which are the incorrect answers, the kit finishes and plops on his bed.

Luffy lets out a guttural moan and looks like all his energy has been zapped by his homework. Ace will have considered it as another one of Luffy's antics if it aren't for the paleness of the kit's face and his hands on his abdomen.

Something is wrong.

"Lu, are you okay?" Ace asks as he motions over to the bed and touches Luffy's head. Luffy feels a bit too cold and he's starting to sweat. Ace purses his lips and tries to fight the anxiety bubbling in his stomach.

"My stomach hurts…" Luffy moans. Ace remembers Luffy complaining the same thing yesterday morning. "I think I ate something bad…"

"I'll get you some water and medicine, okay? Wait for me," Ace instructs and heads to the main bathroom to get medicine for stomach aches. He then retrieves a bottle of water from the fridge and passes by his mother who's watching TV. She sees the pills and bottle in Ace's hands, and sends a questioning look to her son.

"Luffy's stomach is acting up," Ace explains.

"Oh dear," his mother gasps and stands up. "Do you want me to take a look at him? Does he have a fever?"

"No need, we got this," Ace says. "He doesn't have a fever, so it must be probably because of something he ate."

His mother purses his lips and sits back on the chair. "If you say so. Call me if you need anything."

Ace nods and goes back to his room. He gives Luffy a worried look when the kit is curled on his bed, clutching his stomach. Ace sets the medicine and the water on his bed side, then shakes the kit.

"Luffy, Luffy," he calls, and Luffy turns his head to meet his eyes. Luffy looks weak and drowsy. "I got you some medicine. Drink." The Alpha orders, and Luffy obediently takes the sour pill and water from the bedside. A trail of water escapes the corner of Luffy's lips and Ace instinctively wipes it with the edge of his shirt. Once Luffy is finished, Ace gets the bottle from Luffy's hands and caps it before putting it again on his bedside drawer. The kit automatically leans on him, going limp against his form.

"The medicine should be kicking by the next half hour or so," Ace explains and touches Luffy's forehead just to make sure Luffy isn't having a fever. "Do you want to sleep now, Lu?"

Luffy weakly nods and slips from Ace to fall on the mattress. Ace goes to his closet to get Luffy's sleepwear and tosses it on bed. The Alpha goes back to Luffy and lifts the kit's torso. Luffy's eyelids open half-way.

"C'mon, Lu. Let's get you dressed." Ace says. The Alpha bites his lower lip when Luffy feels like a rag doll in his arms. Sensing that Luffy won't be moving, he leans Luffy on the headboard and begins unbuttoning the kit's uniform. Luffy, dazed, watches Ace and the Alpha reconsiders his mother's offer in checking Luffy. Ace is convinced that Luffy's drowsiness, cold temperature, sweating, and stomach ache isn't a normal case of indigestion.

Ace is about to slip the uniform off of Luffy's shoulders when Luffy reaches for his wrist and stops him. "Lu?" On Ace's skin, Luffy's palms feel hot. Very hot. But, why does the rest of his body feel so cold?

"I want to sleep next to Ace…" Luffy murmurs, and Ace breathes a sigh of relief when Luffy's childishness still shines through his sickly figure.

"Alright, alright," The Alpha says as he shakes the kit's hand off him to remove Luffy's uniform. "Once you get changed, we'll sleep."

After he successfully removes Luffy's uniform and dresses Luffy into the kit's pajamas, Ace turns on the lamp and closes the light so the Alpha has a bit of illumination to walk across the room without tripping. Ace notes to fix Luffy's things later when he spots Luffy's exercise on his desk. Once Ace lies on his bed, Luffy jolts and snuggles next to him; Ace smiles and checks Luffy's temperature once again. Luffy is a bit cold, in comparison with the kit's palms. The Alpha makes the temperature of the ACU higher and pulls the covers on of Luffy's shoulders. As Ace settles on his spot with Luffy snuggling next to him, he reaches to turn off the lamp, but stops when Luffy says he wants to sleep with the lamp light on. Ace obliges to the kit's request and dims the light a bit for his own convenience. The Alpha turns to his side, facing Luffy, when the kit asks, and Luffy immediately pulls the Alpha closer.

"Warm…" Luffy murmurs.

"And you're cold." Ace remarks and lets the kit enjoy his warmth.

"I like how you smell and how warm you are," Luffy mutters. "I like you, Ace."

"I know," Ace replies, and finds Luffy's early comments a bit… surprising and too straight-forward. Nonetheless, he pets Luffy on his ears to lull the kit to sleep. Luffy's scent emanates when Ace brushes Luffy's hair with his fingertips, and Ace finds the scent soothing and cool. He gives Luffy a quick sniff as the kit pushes his back on the mattress and rests on his chest.

"What do you like about me?" Luffy suddenly asks, and for some reason, Ace ignores the obscurity and strangeness of Luffy's question in favor of getting more of Luffy's scent.

"Well, everything," Ace starts, rubbing the tips of Luffy's ears that makes the kit squirm. "Your smile, your eyes, your thirst of adventure and pure innocence," Ace enumerates and trails off as he wonders to his thoughts. There are so many things that he loves about Luffy but couldn't say; his smile, his personality, his little hands, his strong legs, his love for life and freedom, his lithe body, his _scent_ \- his whole individuality shakes Ace to the core, flips it upside down, and basks it to sunlight, clean and fresh. As a kit, Ace has been transformed by Luffy into a more caring and trusting person, and as an Alpha, Ace is feeling new instincts - a stronger desire to protect, to _possess_ \- just by the bat of Luffy's eyes. It's strange, nonsensical, but exhilarating and absolutely fantastic! With his new physical abilities, he feels _free_ , but with these instincts, he feels _alive._ He feels like a new and better man all because of Luffy. All because of this kit and his consistency through his morphing phase.

He loves Luffy more than the sun, the sea and the stars; he wants Luffy to look at him and only him because Luffy is his to protect. No-one else's.

So, when Ace flips Luffy and straddles the skit, he doesn't hesitate to kiss the kit, to bite his lip, to suck his tongue, to lick his teeth, because Luffy is his. And when Luffy whimpers and pants under him, Ace feels a surge of pride because this is all because of him - Ace - and not someone else.

Luffy whimpers out his name, gripping his shirt and unsure whether to push or pull him; Ace decides for the kit and leans forward to meet their lips together. Luffy tastes so sweet, even if he had just drank a sour medicine. He rubs Luffy's ears and instead of purrs, Luffy lets out throaty moans, ones that make Ace go crazy. The Alpha ferverently touches and gropes the body underneath him and purrs in delight when he finds the bare skin trapped in the confinements of Luffy's shirt. He touches Luffy's soft skin with his clawed skin, ignoring the angry reds on the spots he touched. Luffy's eyes, his voice, his _scent_ \- it's inviting him and making his mind grow number. All he wants now is to mark Luffy as his so no-one else can have him - not Sabo, not Zoro, not Sanji nor Shanks.

With the intention to make Luffy his, forever and ever, Ace sinks his seeth on a soft spot on Luffy's neck and proceeds to lick it - growing past from the red spot to Luffy's neck, his jaw line, his cheek, his lips. Ace feels satisfied when his scent is imprinted on Luffy's body and he gives the kit a kiss as his way of saying that the kit did well. Luffy hungrily responds, calling his name over and over again when Ace parts. Luffy's body has grown hot in contrast to Ace's cool skin, and Ace doesn't know when he loses his shirt and Luffy's. He doesn't even know what they're doing anymore.

But, that's okay because this is what he wants, what Luffy wants, and he gets to inhale that sweet scent coming from Luffy. That sweet scent of all that is Luffy.

Something feral, something sharp, something that threatens to burst out of his core screams for Luffy to leave, to _run_ , but something passive, something _familiar,_ something that is embedded deep into his heart for such a long time longs for completion.

Before he can give a proper reaction, he smells familiar scents of intruder Alphas and Betas into his room, and Ace curls protectively around Luffy.

They try to incapacitate him, but he fights back. When a stronger Alpha comes, he is forced to submit by the former's intimidation. He is bounded. And he doesn't like the feeling of it. It doesn't stop him from trying to reach for Luffy; the urge only grows stronger. He needs to be with Luffy to _protect_ him; it's what he promised to the old geezer after all!

"Ace!" a familiar voice calls through the thick layers of his mind, and his numb mind tries to remember from whom it is. When the voice calls and calls, he spots and identifies the voice to his mother's, and this place as his room. It looks wrecked and too bright for his liking; there are also other people inside his room, giving him cautious looks. Ace flashes an expression of worry when he finds his mother teary-eyed and flushed, and he is about to reach her when there are chains incapacitating his wrist. He furrows his eyebrows. What's going on?

"Ace?" It's Mayor Woop Slap. The Mayor gives his mother a pat in the shoulder before approaching him. "Is that you? Can you hear me? How many fingers am I holding up."

Ace is even more confused. "T-two," he answers, and the Mayor looks satisfied. "Wait, what's going on? Why are you all in my room and - " he pales when he sees that Luffy is not on bed. "Where's Luffy?"

"Here." He hears Shanks say, and he turns to the other corner of his room. There is Shanks, sitting somberly in the corner with a large bundle of cloth in his arms. He has deep cuts on his face and a serious one on his left hand, and Ace is about to ask Shanks what happened when Shanks reveals that inside the bundle of cloth is Luffy. "Luffy turned Ace," Shanks explains. "Omega."

The word sends cold shivers down his spine as he pieces the puzzle - why he is on cuffs, why he's room is in a mess, and why is Luffy kept so distant from him. Guilt and anxiety washes over him as he tries to find the right words to ask. "I-Is Luffy...Did he…"

A grim look flashes on Shanks face as he pulls a piece of cloth to reveal Luffy's skin; the sweet scent instead of Luffy's cool and usual one wafts through Ace's nose - to which he identifies as heat pheromones, something that Omegas exclude when they go in their heat cycle or when they turn - but there is a stronger and familiar scent hidden underneath that layers of sweetness.

Ace's blood turns cold, and he realizes what he has done.

Luffy spends the night with Shanks' family, and Ace spends his night crying in the arms of his mother dearest.

* * *

Exactly nine years has passed since the day Ace scratched Luffy's eye and the world seems to have changed before Ace's eyes.

Concrete buildings and busy streets greet him instead of Fuusha's green pastures and small houses; he and his classmates have graduated from high school and are in their respective desired universities; he is a freshman majoring in BS Genetics now; and the house next to him which he frequently visits disappears.

A lot has changed since the night he scentmarked Luffy in his instinctive state, and every day and night that follows, he regrets it.

His mother, Shanks and Mayor Woop Slap tried their best to hide the fact from the village, but Ace's scent on Luffy is one thing that they will never truly hide from others. Ace's reputation has sunk since then, and after graduation, Shanks advises him to stay in Rayleigh's until the grown-ups settle the matter.

He doesn't say goodbye to Sabo and Luffy when leaves.

Now, four months in Rayleigh's household, he adopts a new routine. He wakes up, eats breakfast, and heads to his part-time job as a Genetics tutor for aspiring Genetics scientists. On weekends, he goes to a community center that holds Alpha training sessions to control his instinctual drive, and twice a month, his mother visits him with the city, sometimes along with Shanks and Makino. They do small talk and chat a bit, and Ace will try to ask Luffy's well-being but decides not to. Then they leave, and the routine repeats itself once again.

But, in some other days, when he feels that he isn't in the state to work or when the training sessions are too much, he sits in the park and thinks, _regrets._ Regrets all the promises he has broken.

'Your classification won't matter to me'. _Preposterous. The reason why you moved out is because you're an Alpha and Luffy's and Omega, and being together spells danger. You're even too dangerous to be alone with your own mother!_

'Luffy needs his family, his brother. You can't pursue him.' _Hypocrite. You used Garp as an excuse because you can't even tell your own feelings to Luffy, and now the person deserving of Luffy's love and affection can't even go near him because of your scent mark._

'I'll protect Luffy...Until you wake up, that is.' _Disappointing. This is the only promise you could've kept since you're an Alpha and you're biologically programmed to protect, but all you've done is take advantage of it and use it against Luffy. Shame. Shame on you._

And when his thoughts become too painful, he comes home and repeats the routine the next day to forget all of them. To run away from them.

He knows it's ridiculous. Ace should be facing them, admitting his faults, and try to make amends. But instead, he moves away from Fuusha, settles into his new life and let his mother and the others make amends for him. He didn't even apologize to Luffy - even though a simple apology won't fix their relationship like the time he scratched Luffy.

His scent mark on Luffy is as permanent as the scar on Luffy's face.

Luffy is forever tainted, by the person he trusted the most.

And all Ace can do is hope that his dirty touch will never make Luffy change.

"Ready for class, kiddo?" Rayleigh asks. Ace only nods and bids the couple a farewell after finishing his breakfast.

When he exits the house, there is no Luffy or Sabo waiting for him.

He walks to the bus station alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wew, now that's done and over. I hoped you like this! (Now, I'm going to update I'm sorry, I burned your kitchen so stay tuned!)


	3. Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is the final installment of The Science of the Boy Named Luffy. I'm really sorry for the wait. A lot of things had happened to me right now, and I'm not really in the most stable of states. Though, hopefully this chapter brings light in the series.

People say that college is the time when they discover their passions and begin to revolutionize themselves, but Ace feels like nothing about him changed at all – he's still the same. He just grew bigger, maybe became more intelligent, and more or less mature, but he's still that oblivious kit who gave Luffy the two scars that can't be erased or forgiven. The weight of those sins makes his chest grow heavy and dim, but over time he has grown used to this feeling. _I can't go back,_ he tells himself every single day, as he wakes up to go to University and sleeps the hours after finishing so many requirements. _This is my life now._ And it's so dull.

After a year, Ace has decided to move out from Rayleigh's household to live in a dorm nearer to Dressrosa University. He doesn't want to abuse the hospitality of his father's friend, and he figures that it would be better for them if he moved out and found his own way of living. Although Rayleigh, Shakky, and his mother were hesitant at first, they let him do as he pleases; he isn't a kit no longer, but a young Alpha. 'It's bound that he'd fly off the nest sooner or later' as Rayleigh said. 'Let him find his own nest.' And that's what he did. In this studio where his dorm-mate sleeps drunk and the sink is always clogged, he has found his nest. It is a place where he knows and confirms that he will not be able to hurt anyone and he can focus on his goal to become a Genetics Scientist. It may not be like his room, his old nest – a place of warmth and Luffy's laughter – but this will have to do.

Turning the lamp light on, he hunches on his desk and types his essay. Scattered around him are neat piles of documents: home works, quizzes, and paper work from his academic organization. All of his quizzes and homework boast high grades in red ink, and his academic organization is looking at him to be the next President. People look up to him and respect him; his future looks bright. Nonetheless, he feels no happiness, just a mechanical feeling of pride when his colleagues congratulate and adore him. As Ace finishes the last words of his essay, his door knob turns and the room is flooded with bright light. Ace hisses.

"Dude, you should really work in the light some more; you'll hurt your eyes," his dorm mate, Teach, says; his mouth laced with the stench of beer. Teach plops on his bed and yawns, letting a meek roar just as his Beta genes allow him to. "You should've come with us at the party, Bonney was looking for you,"

Ace saves his essay, minimizes the word document, and looks at his Facebook home feed. On his mother's profile, one of her recent photographs showcases the beautiful windmills of Fuusha with an excerpt from a local legend as the caption: 'And Lady Moda asks: Turn me into the wind, shapeless and free' Ace feels a swell of awe from the picture, but he quickly closes his browser before the dangerous feeling of nostalgia sets in. Even so, Ace knows that that feeling will, later, consume his thoughts and tears. "No thanks, not interested," he says, unplugs his laptop, and grabs one of his textbooks. He begins to read.

"Ehhh! That's too bad! Bonney's into you for, like, a month now. Maybe you should give her a chance and not be an herbivore*," Teach says. "Never know maybe that's what you need to loosen up – you know, relax? But I doubt 'rest' is even in your vocabulary."

Ace sighs as he feels the simmers of irritation. But, he pushes it away; freezes it as quickly as it began. "It's just that my program has high standards. I can't afford to get kicked out," he has seen his acquaintances of the same program as him, BS Genetic Sciences, cry at the office of the Dean as the latter announced that they didn't meet the criteria to remain in the program. He does not want to be one of them; this program is the only thing he has. "Maybe someday."

On the corner of his eye, he sees Teach blow a raspberry at him. "You always say that. Either way, it's your loss," the bed squeaks and sheets ruffle. Teach fishes out his notebook and begins scribbling. "So, Bonney made her own sorority…Ugh, too bad. Have to find someone else then…"

Ace returns to his book. He has read this chapter a hundred times, highlighted the same sentences for the nth time. The pages are wet with green ink, and if he ever highlights the page, it'll probably tear. He reads and memorizes the same set of words, the location of the periods and commas, and the references that come along with it; he does not forgive himself if he does not memorize one paragraph in the way that it is written. If he gives too much freedom to himself, it will be his downfall. _Another one_ of his downfalls.

His nails rake his desk as he continues reading the book until the end of the chapter.

Once Ace is done, he turns off the light and crawls to his bed. As usual, it feels too wide and too cold for him, and that's because, as his mind likes to tease him, that he misses Luffy's warmth, his mother's presence, and Sabo's snores. The image of Fuusha village – its vast forests, the friendly neighbours; Shanks, Sabo, and Luffy try to beat Shanks in a rigged game while Makino prepares them lunch and his mother welcomes the customers – drifts in his mind, but now, its surrounded with tall and sharp picket fences. Garp guards the entrance, his face stern and tight just like the time when they first met, and says: _You can't go back anymore for you have_ failed _me._

Ace screams: _Then what would it take for you to forgive me!?_

"You know Ace, I think you need a hobby," Teach, in his rare sober mind-set, rattles away. His dorm mate has learned that if Ace is silent or studying, Ace will always be available for a chat. Even if the Alpha doesn't reply.

Ace doesn't pay the Beta a piece of his mind. He flips the page as soon as he's done memorizing the final paragraph.

"Doesn't it get boring that you just study all the time?"

Ace doesn't respond.

Despite that, Teach sits up on his bed. He keeps tapping his pencil on his notebook, baiting himself to be noticed by the Alpha. Unfortunately and quite irritatingly, Teach has learned that unnecessary gestures distract Ace as his slightly more sensitive eyes can pick up the slightest movement. Ace has checked on a doctor and told him that he'd need glasses to correct this, but he doesn't have enough money right now to buy one. Ace has crossed asking his mother for extra money on his options list. Finally getting distracted by the movements, Ace inserts a bookmark on the page he's not done reading and closes it with a loud 'thump'. He turns to his annoying dorm mate with an annoyed glare. "What now?"

Teach whistles. "This fraternity – "

"Not interested," Ace says as he puts his needed belongings inside his bag, so he can study in a near-by café. "I don't have time for such things."

"But come on!" Teach sits up as Ace prepares to leave. "Do me a favour! They're going to kick me out if I don't show them a viable candidate! I can't lose this job!" As sleazy and slow as Teach may be, this Beta is cunning and manipulative. To finance his education (and other vices), he has turned into somewhat an information broker among fraternities and sororities in school, exchanging information and recruiting candidates for the ever-growing groups in this campus. Fraternities and sororities have always been competing in the shadows of the University Student Council, and have gained the eyes of thousands of companies for employment. If one wants to become big, they ought to join a fraternity or sorority. But, because of the difficulty of gaining their eyes, many come to look for information brokers such as Teach to give them recommendations.

But, as prestigious as these groups appear to be, they obviously want quality fresh blood, which Teach appears to have been running out.

Ace tunes down his dorm mate's requests and walks to the door.

"I can pay you! Do you want half of the earnings, or some new books for your collection?" Teach rambles. "Or a date?"

"No thanks." Ace says as he reaches the door knob.

"But they'll kick me out!" Teach desperately exclaims.

"That's not my problem," The Alpha says before he closes the door before him and heads to the café.

**OOOOoooOOOO**

Contrary to its name, Spiders Café is a homey establishment that caters to University students of Dressrosa who are either meeting deadlines or settling down to take a break and have a coffee. Ace is a regular of this place primarily due to their good coffee and his dorm mate's annoying acts, so when the café's owner, Paula, sees him enter through the doorway, she whips him up a cup of cappuccino. Ace throws some bills on the counter, takes a sit on the stool, and drinks his coffee in one gulp. He didn't even flinch when he downed all the contents in one go.

"That's not nice; you didn't even try to taste the coffee this time," Paula says, taking the empty cup from the counter. Ace only shrugs and opens his book from his last page. Paula only chuckles and brings the empty coffee to the kitchen, her Beta tail swishing back and forth. In the farthest end of the counter, he is out and away from the vicinity of other people, whose unnecessary actions catch him distracted. Ever since he has come in the Spider's Café, Paula has marked this seat as his so he can enjoy his coffee and study in peace. But, the LaPerm Beta cat has always groaned in disappointment when Ace gulps his coffee in one movement; she believes that the art of coffee is to watch her patrons settle the taste of the beans on their tongue. So, to meet someone who gulps their coffee in one go destroys this sacred art form. She has always tried him to 'take a break' and have a _real_ cup of coffee, but Ace feels he never has time for those things. He needs the flowing time to catch up to his readings.

When she comes back, Ace has finished the chapter, so Paula takes this opportunity to bug him a little.

"Have you heard," she begins, giving him a cup of coffee with the cream drawn like some fraternity's mark. The Whitebeard's. "A large fraternity has taken interest in you. I'm sure one of the recruiters has approached you, no?"

He remembers Teach's desperate form and groans internally. "Yeah," Ace says, mixing the coffee with the teaspoon to erase the coffee art, much to Paula's disdain. "But, I'm not planning on joining. It's a waste of time."

Paula's Beta ears perk up. "Really now? I would've thought that you'd consider, at least." She says. "Well, no matter. I thought that topic would've interested you. They have peculiar people that I think you might like."

Ace shrugs. "I rather keep out of messy politics." He decides to read another chapter for the day, and opens his book. In the corner of his hypersensitive eyes, Paula smirks, and Ace wonders for a moment what is up with that cunning smile.

"Really? Even though they're exquisite living and breathing examples of the contradictions to your _book_?" the Beta says as she points her long, pointy nails on his book. And Ace feels like protecting it away from those manicured talons.

Ace frowns. "It won't be for long. They're just rare coincidental cases that haven't been caught up by their time," he explains. "Non-traditionalists don't remain for long."

"Hmmmm," she says in a sing-song voice, as if challenging Ace and the facts that he has believed in for so long. "Really now? But I've heard that they're eyeing this particular Omega who made a big splash in the National Marathon Tournament despite being three years younger than the other contestants. They say he's the one who _will_ challenge the world order and all that you know of."

"That sounds like a headlines from the 1980's, where Omegas were allowed to partake in sports festivities without realizing that they can die from exhaustion," Ace rebukes. "Seriously Paula, don't expect too much from the non-traditionalists. You've seen what would happen to them after a few years."

"But a few years _have_ passed, and he's just growing as stronger than ever. You never know, he might be the one who opens your close-minded mind once and for all."

Ace rolls his eyes, and decides that it's better to focus on his studies than argue with a Beta who believes in the movement of idealists. Paula doesn't mind this at all and wipes the counter with her white towel. She hums a folk song from her country as she does this.

"He comes from the place as you," she says. "Fuusha Village. But he's prepping for a tournament in Alabasta."

The image of distant hills and the kind villagers flash in his mind; from those people, he can only identify two Omegas from that crowd. His mother and –

"Monkey D. Luffy is his name. Perhaps you know him?"

His whole world freezes and the words on his book become just words. Genomes, Order, and Traditionalists doesn't seem to matter anymore as the name of the boy he has scarred twice goes through his ears. His long-buried protective instincts arise from their slumber, along with a feeling that he has tried to forget.

Paula smirks even wider, but Ace doesn't care if the cunning Beta has intended this or not.

* * *

Living in the Dressrosa city, one of the three hubs of international intelligence and cultural exchange of the country (the first being Alabasta, the other Ryugu), Ace learns so much about the current events that he will never have in Fuusha with his textbooks. Apparently, in these three major hubs, an old movement contrary to the rules of nature has emerged, growing strong as members joined and laws are relaxed in regards to civil unions. It is this non-traditionalist movement that protests heavily on the stern laws that govern the privileges and restrictions of the ABO system, and preaches the abolition of this 'socially-constructed' caste system. The Whitebeard fraternity, the largest fraternity group that spans from Dressrosa to Alabasta, and has its base on Ryugu, is one of the non-traditionalists.

But, for Ace, everything is just pure rubbish.

The traditionalists are stupid in a sense that they believe that the laws of this country are the same as the rules of nature. They _worship_ the law and integrate it so deeply into their lifestyle that they become pawns of the government. But, these laws are nothing more than written decrees of people who don't care about the ABO system, as long as they are in power. They will hook into anything that 'scientists' claim as facts and make it as foundations of their laws. Sometimes, they'll even bribe the scientists to make-up false facts and present it to the media as the truth. The traditionalists are nothing more than lost sheep who can't tell which one is wheat and weed.

The non-traditionalists are even stupider, in Ace's opinion. They disagree on the laws of nature itself, the facts that their ancestors have proven with their countless observations and experiments. They believe that these restrictions, founded in order to protect and prevent, are needless, and it is time to create a new structure that would give opportunities to all. Ace isn't closed to an idea to an egalitarian society, but if only was this idea is practical and realistic would he give his wholehearted support to it. As a man of facts, Ace only supports those things that are based on facts and not ideas. The non-traditionalist are nothing but idealists who dream of greater pastures that are not even possible, and want to bring the whole society to an idea founded by imagination. If traditionalists can't tell which one is wheat and weed, non-traditionalists are those people who believe weed can be wheat.

And since both sides are ruled by idiots, Ace does not want to get involved in this spectacle.

But, it's a different matter when one of the people he loves with all his heart is pulled into this hot debate.

Ace isn't sure how much of Luffy has changed, or, more importantly, if he is aware of the intentions of various groups that he may not have heard of. He knows that his mother doesn't know much of this antagonism between traditionalists and non-traditionalists, and Shanks is person not to be trusted if Ace would recall the Alpha's idealist beliefs. He doubts Zoro and Sanji, Luffy's best friends, can protect him from the kind of people that lives in these city hubs; though, Ace can depend on Sabo if the need arises. But, to be sure and to also help his 'twin Alpha' brother from a different mother, he has to get involved in these matters somehow and rise into a position wherein he can meddle into the affairs to keep Luffy out of harm's way. It's the only coherent thing he thought of when he ran away from Paula's coffee shop and back into his dorm to coerce Teach to let him join the Whitebeard fraternity. It didn't take long for the desperate Beta to say yes.

Though, as he waits at the rendezvous point with Teach who kept bantering him about the rules and proper etiquette to greet the Whitebeard gang, Ace is thinking that maybe things doesn't have to be as dramatic as this.

"Now remember, you can't just _look_ at them," Teach says. "You have to have them allow you to look at them directly – and don't stare! They're an odd bunch of fellows, and they don't like people staring at them for that. Just remember, you're working for them, so be sure to appear to be their most valuable and obedient worker, alright?"

"Alright, alright, I get it. Submissive and nice." Ace replies, fixing his clothes. Soon, Ace catches scents of two Alphas, and he puts a step forward. In the clearing, two Alphas emerge, one holding an air of confidence and the other an aura of spunk. The blonde Alpha of Bobcat descent looks at him with half-lidded eyes. "Are you Gol D. Ace?" he asks.

"Y-yes, he is!" Teach replies, back hunched and both hands clasped before him. "Gol D. Ace is one of the best Genetic Science students of his coming batch! He is – "

"I've heard of what he has achieved," the Alpha drawls, but in the corner of his blue eyes, Ace sees suspicion. Ace tries to erase this by smiling at the man, but it seems that he has just increase his suspicions further. "Not sure if he is the right material as we thought he was."

His comrade, an Alpha of the Sumatran tiger descent, rolls his eyes and combs through his long, brown hairdo. "Oh stop being so uptight, Marco! He looks good to me. "

Ace takes this chance to introduce himself; if he relies on someone as sneaky and weak-hearted as Teach to give his first impressions, then Ace will certainly get rejected by the group. With his back straight and his arms on both sides of his frame, he gives his loudest voice and the straightest stare he can muster. "My name is Gol D. Ace, 22, 2nd year Genetic Science Student. Pleasure to meet you both," then he bows. When he rises up, the brunette man is snickering, while the other man, Marco, gives a resigned sigh.

"He'll have to do," Marco says to Teach, who gives him a wide, ugly smile. Then his bored eyes shifts to Ace, and the younger Alpha freezes under the sight of intimidation. "Though, this doesn't mean you're in, _boy_. Your test has just begun."

Ace pushes his simmering anger by being called a 'boy', and forces a wider smile. "And I am whole-heartedly prepared for it!"

The other Alpha descends into a fit of chuckles, and he walks over behind Ace's back to hug him with one hand. His grip is strong; Ace now knows that he can't certainly fight both of them. "I like this guy, he's an idiot," Ace fights the urge to snarl. "Name's Thatch. Welcome to the Whitebeard gang!"

**OOOOoooOOOO**

Ace's trials begin. But, contrary to what he has said, he is whole-heartedly _not_ prepared for it.

Marco Vogel and Thatch Adesso have quickly taken place as his 'mentors'. They have been given orders by their boss to assess him for four weeks to see if he is cut out on the 'right material' – whatever that meant. Ace has taken Teach's words to heart as well as helpful sociology tricks from a number of textbooks to woo his mentors. With the right speech and gesture, he is bound to worm into the confident company of his mentor, then to the whole of the Whitebeard gang. This isn't the first time he has done it before; he has this same technique to capture the good eyes of his batch mates and people like Teach, who sees the bad in people as his part-time job, if not seeing him as a good, rare commodity for his clients.

It has been the 2nd week of the so-called trial and, unexpectedly, his mentors are still not giving him any indication that he is doing well.

Studying in the same campus, Ace regularly meets with Marco and Thatch. The Alpha pair is actually a year older than him, age-wise and year-wise. Marco is currently taking up BS Ornithology, while Thatch is studying AB European Culinary Arts. According to Teach, Marco is quickly growing into a promising researcher as his thesis on the evolution of endemic birds of Dressrosa not only won the Best Thesis Award but also has been published in Dr. Doflamingo's book. On the other hand, Thatch is juggling his academics and his job at one of the finest diners in Dressrosa: the Dressrosa branch of Baratie. Both have great futures ahead of them, but Teach told Ace that it's all because of Whitebeard connections.

The test is all about companionship, Thatch explained. All Ace has to do is hang around Marco and Thatch for at least five hours a day to allow the pair to see if Ace can get along with the rest of the Whitebeard gang. Marco has stressed that their group follows a certain philosophy that is difficult to follow and rare to see in others, so Ace has 60-40 chance of getting it (Marco is a rather pessimistic fellow, so it's obvious as to which percentage is the 'Ace is going to get admitted' part). While he diligently does so, raising short conversation and taking an effort to know both of them despite the regular painful stings of his hypersensitive eyes, Ace sees that his mentors are tough nuts to crack. Thatch is friendly and a touchy person, but he likes giving vague answer (e.g. "What's your favourite band, Thatch?" Ace asks. Thatch shrugs. "I don't know man, what do you think?" "Well, I think Nirvana is a good band." "Hmmm, I see.") and likes pushing Ace's buttons. On the other hand, Marco is as cold as ever, and just gives his bored blank stare if not calling him by the epithet 'boy'. Ace can handle Thatch, but being called a boy is something else entirely.

Ace has somehow tolerated it for the sake of having to have this test all pay off.

On one day when the three of them are hanging around Paula's coffee shop, Thatch strikes a conversation after Ace merrily greets a bunch of people he knows.

"You sure are popular," Thatch comments as he mixes a cup of Paula's special brew. Next to him Marco is reading a book. 'The Legend of Lady Moda' is written on the cover. "How many friends do you have, Ace?"

"A lot, I suppose," Ace replies. "Counting friends isn't something normal to do."

"That's true," Thatch replies. "Do you have a best friend?"

"Best friend?" The image of Sabo and Luffy drifts in his mind. "Of course I do. Everyone has one at least."

"What are their names then?" Thatch presses on. "I'm curious to know what kind of people you befriend with, Ace."

"Well, they are – " The image of his mind shifts; Ace remembers the scene where he told Sabo that he can't pursue Luffy anymore, and that fateful night when he has scentmarked Luffy. How their faces are contorted with pain and sorrow. How Garp looks at him from the picket fence, disappointed. " – none of your business."

Thatch looks at him with bewildered eyes, and Marco looks up from his book. Ace gradually realizes what he has done and quickly apologizes. "Sorry, that was rude of me."

"Its fine," Thatch says, quickly consoling him. "That must be a really touchy subject for you, isn't it?"

Marco doesn't mirror the same sentiments, however. He smirks, but sloppily covers it with his book. "That's the first time I've ever seen you like that," the Alpha says, his tail swishing slowly. "I see you're not as goody two-shoes as I've thought."

Ace bristles, but covers it with a forced laugh. It comes out strained.

"Oh stop that Marco, you're scaring him." Thatch says.

"I'm not scared," he quickly interjects. But, Marco shakes his head and puts down his book. "Don't try to hide it. That's the only thing you need to do to pass."

Ace only looks at the Lynx Alpha with confusion, but when Thatch chuckles and gives a sloppy kiss on the blonde Alpha's cheek, he grows even more confused. But then a dark emotion blossoms into his breast, which he identifies as disgust, because how can two Alphas love each other romantically? That's just wrong.

But then a dangerous thought in his head comes: what if you're disgusted for the wrong reasons?

He quickly pushes the thought away and fixes a grin on his face.

**OOOOoooOOOO**

After the whole spectacle, Marco begins to grow even colder. It's as if he has risen out of his stoicism to deliberately be a passive aggressive asshole. And Thatch has become open with his affections. After confiding with Teach, Ace now learns that Marco and Thatch aren't just best friends as they appear to be; they're lovers. It makes Ace wonder how far of the non-traditionalist spectrum the Whitebeards lie on.

Nonetheless, he keeps reminding himself what he does this for: Luffy. After coercing Teach to gather information for him, Ace soon learns that Luffy has become a renowned fellow among the communities of the urban hubs. The kind of reputation that he holds depends on which community looks him up – to the traditionalist, he is a rising nuance and one of the rising dangers of the present ABO social dynamics; to the non-traditionalists, he is someone to look up to, only if he follows according to their plans. To combat him, the traditionalists have started investing in this strong competitor named Crocodile, and as far as Teach can tell, this man is someone out of Luffy's league. Furthermore, this man is an Alpha of the West African Lion descent.

As an Omega, Luffy will definitely lose. Ace has to do something about this, at least. He must keep on.

Though, at the last week of his trial, it seems that he is losing his grip on his mentors. With Marco's cold shoulder and Thatch's annoyingly public displays of affection, as well as Ace's annoying hypersensitive eyes, how _can't_ he?

At the second to the last day of his trial, Marco calls for Ace to come and render his five hours of 'hang-out service'. Ace has only been studying for a big test, and for someone to know Ace fully well, he does not like being interrupted with his studies. It also doesn't seem to be logical to call him out of their agreed time of minutes just so Ace can have one cup of coffee while Marco keeps reading his annoying book. The stupid book of Lady Moda's legend doesn't seem to be running out of pages.

Ace wants to spoil him of the book just to get rid of those judgingly cold eyes. "So, Ace," Thatch begins as he takes a good sip of Paula's brew. "Sorry to have you come here out of the regular time. Marco seems to kinda want your presence here. You know, to see if you could pass or not."

"Am I not doing well?" Ace asks, trying to ignore Marco.

Thatch makes a face that says that it might have been the case. "I have high expectations of you though. Hopefully you'll turn things around by tomorrow."

"Which wouldn't happen," Marco continues. He flips the page nonchalantly, and it's gritting Ace's nerves.

"Aw, don't be like that, Marco," Thatch says, wounding an arm around his lover. "You're dampening the guy's spirit."

"He's not a 'guy'," the Lynx Alpha says. He fixes his cold eyes onto him and smiles. "He's a boy _._ "

"I'm not a boy," Ace calmly retorts, smiling. Though, in the inside, he is already simmering with anger. "Please stop calling me that. It's rude."

Thatch stifles a chuckle and Marco shakes his head, as if knowing something that Ace doesn't. To be honest, the two older Alphas are always acting like that. Like they know everything in the world and they place themselves in high pedestals because of it. "You _are_. Because if you weren't, you'd stop hiding from that annoying façade of yours and start thinking and acting like yourself," then the older Alpha adds. " _Idiot._ "

It's one thing to call him a 'boy', but no-one is allowed to call him an _idiot._

Baring his fangs, Ace flips the table and charges towards Marco, intent of doing things that would earn him a lifetime ban from Paula's shop. With two Alphas in a fight, most of the customers panic and flee. Ace and Marco tumble and smash around every piece of furniture of the room, leaving trails of wreckage and shattered glass. With a seasoned blow from Marco, Ace slams against the wall a few feet from where he was standing. Marco pants as his half-lidded eyes bore onto Ace's figure, while Thatch remains pensive on the whole situation.

"Well, that costs your position in the fraternity," Thatch speaks, crossing his arms. Ace wants to spit on his face. "Sorry, Ace."

"Oh keep your sorry to yourself!" Ace heaves. He struggles to come back up as he feels the Marco's claw marks quiver in pain on his legs. "I'm not fucking interested of joining a group of arrogant bozos who like toying with other people and think they're greater than everyone else. Well, news flash – you aren't, and sooner or later that narcissism is gonna bite you in the ass and eat you for dinner! I am so sick of this bullshit that your groups are playing at! Equality, tradition – who cares about that shit! Your group just dictates what other people should be doing without knowing what it'll do to other people. You are just following some blind ideology without knowing what the fuck it does to people, and it's just plain awful!"

"Then why'd you join in the first place?" Thatch says as he raises his eyebrow.

"To stop ignorant people like you from doing shit to other people," Ace replies. "You think you know everything but you don't. You don't know what equality or tradition or the ABO system actually means. You don't know how an Omega can get killed by stress or how a Beta has been trying their very best to win an election with only her bare will. You only know what's on your stupid fraternity book and follow it like the word of God! You think you're _men_ , but you are anything but men. You're just a _boy_! A big-headed, idiotic, spineless boy who can't think anything for himself!" Once Ace is done, he is panting, all overwhelmed by the two Alphas stronger than him and the several mix of suppressed emotions. He doesn't even know if he's talking about them or himself, and Marco is analysing him like prey.

Then, after a second has passed, Marco throws his head back and laughs. A hearty laugh that rival's even Garp's boisterous one.

Ace growls. "What the fuck is so funny?!" he screams, feeling annoyed by the proof of ignorance of Marco and embarrassed for not being taken so seriously.

Thatch shakes his head, giving the sincerest smile that he has deprived Ace for weeks. "Nothing. It's just finally you've said something that isn't sugar-coated with lies. Honestly that freaking smile was just annoying," Ace only grows more confused.

Marco fixes his hair with a smile on his face. He only looks at Ace with warm eyes, and the younger Alpha almost felt sorry for hurting his elder. "Like I said, the only thing that will help you pass is if you stop hiding. And, thankfully, that's what you did." Marco explains. "I'll have to apologize for what I did in the past few days; I thought it was the only way to make you come out of your shell."

"Wait, so you mean?"

"We have a general assembly every two weeks," Thatch butts in. "We'll be introducing you to the group. I'm sure Pops would love to finally meet you." The brunette smiles and speaks warm words void of ridicule or vagueness. "Welcome to the Whitebeard's, brother."

"That's very _touchin_ g," Paula comments as she looks onto the three Alphas and the damage that has been done. "But, can someone tell me how they can compensate for the broken fixtures and furniture of my café, _hm?"_ Her long talons glisten under the surviving trio of light bulbs that hung at the counter. Ace can only gulp.

While Paula is a Beta, her former reputation as Ms. Doublefinger, a martial arts expert (and maybe a former assassin) does not fail to resurface.

* * *

Meeting the Whitebeard fraternity has been a rather shocking experience. As the leading pioneer of the non-traditionalist group, the members of the Whitebeard's hold onto that promise. He has met wonderful people who defy his expectations of the ABO system, such as Haruta the agile Omega, Izou the graceful Beta, and several other people whom didn't seem to belong to the boundaries of the system. It almost felt so unreal.

But, the experience even becomes even more surreal when he learns the Pops, Edward Newgate, the leader of the non-traditionalists, is a Beta of the most generic domestic cat descent, the savannah specie. How two strong Alphas like Marco and Thatch act as obedient followers of this Beta is a mystery to Ace. But, it's an even more complicated puzzle when not only a multitude of members, but also renowned Alphas ally themselves alongside Edward Newgate.

Either Newgate knows witchcraft, or the ABO system isn't what Ace thought it is. Which isn't right.

Ace is not a traditionalist, nor is he against the non-traditionalist movement; he's a believer of what science tells him. And according to science, to his years of study of this field, Betas are not natural leaders. They don't have the guts to lead, and are too 'average' to be followed by Alphas or their fellow Betas. Edward Newgate, no matter what kind of education or training he has, should not have so much power under his command.

So, as an inquisitive fellow who wants to prove the truth of science, he has decided to undergo to solve this puzzle as Edward Newgate.

First, he has employed the services of one of the famous information brokers of the campus: Teach.

"When I said you needed a hobby, I didn't mean like this," Teach says as he laid pictures and files of his work. They are at their shared dorm, where Ace has worked fervently to search about Newgate's background.

Ace picks one of the files and reads. There is nothing peculiar about the Beta's education, childhood, or family. He had no illnesses and was an active follower of his community; though, he has been born with a syndrome that affected his height, but no more than that.

"When did he begin siding with the non-traditionalists?" Ace asks as he looks at the photos.

"Well, he didn't really 'side' with them. It's just that what he likes to advocate seems to fall on that spectrum," Teach explains. He takes a swig of beer and point at one of the files he laid on the table. "He worked for this major fishing company at Ryugu for most of his life until it got bankrupt and had to lay off some workers. Newgate was one of them. Then after that, he went rogue, tried to fund some businesses here and there before finally nailing a jackpot by founding his own fishing company in Ryugu. He was really old when that happened and his founding of the Whitebeard fraternity was just pretty recent, but my sources tell me that it started way before, maybe during the time he was jumping from job to job."

"I see," Ace replies. "Did he get some help from some politicians, businessmen, members of his family?"

"Dude, like I said his family was all a bunch of betas. The genomes of both of his parents are _bb_. They're all workers, not owners," Teach says. "Look, why are doing this, man? As much as your curiosity over the Whitebeards put money in my pocket – it's turning ridiculous, okay? What is it that you're trying to prove?"

"There must be something that made him like this,"

"Like what? A giant?"

"No, I mean the leader of the Whitebeard gang."

Teach rolls his eyes. "Two words: Hard work. He's like one of the cleanest people you know. Of course he'll always have dirt – everyone does – but as much as possible he does everything by the morals, and gives everyone second chances."

Ace wrinkles his nose. "That's just impossible."

Teach opens his arms. "Hey man, just giving you some facts."

"But, it's not in accordance to science," Ace murmurs, absent-minded. "Betas have poor leadership skills. It doesn't make sense for Edward Newgate to be an exception."

"And it doesn't make sense if you simply lay it out like that," Teach says. "Look, I know you're studying all those science-y things, and they're facts. That's true. But you also have to acknowledge that some facts are – let's say – changeable. I've been working in this information industry for far too long and seen information either become accurate on this day, and false at the next. That's why every one of us information brokers like to get updated as soon as we can, because no-one really knows when our goods become rusty ol' farts. If facts weren't changeable, our lives as information brokers would be easier. But, it's not, is it?" the Beta pauses. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, be open-minded. Either it's Newgate that change or maybe your science. Who knows for sure?"

Ace looks pensive. Even for a sneaky Beta like Teach, he does make sense for once. And it sounds like an informed opinion. But, even if the opinion sounds valid, it's difficult to swallow.

"If you're really desperate for information about Newgate so much, why not try asking him? That's the most efficient way of gathering information," Teach says. "But let me warn you, gathering facts aren't easy as it looks. You have to be neutral. Because if you aren't, you're already tainting the goods with your own dirt," the beta takes a large swig of alcohol and wipes his mouth. "And the worse kind of goods is the one that's dirty."

**OOOOoooOOOO**

At the next general assembly, Thatch drives Marco and Ace to Ryugu City, where the most important general assemblies are held. General Assemblies are meetings where the important people, dubbed as commanders, will report to everyone and introduce new members or potential replacements in the other high ranking positions in the fraternity. For some reason, Marco and Thatch will tag Ace along in their commander-only meetings with Pops, Edward Newgate, while joking that he will be the coming commander of the 2nd division, a base established in Alabasta. While it seems like a cool proposition, Ace consistently turns down those jokes as his eyes cast on his priority: Whitebeard.

After the commander-only meetings have finished and the after-party comes into play, Ace takes this opportunity to ask a private discussion with Newgate. The Beta agrees, and while the rest of his brothers and sisters – what they call each other as in this group – they talk in Newgate's private study.

Ace settles in a chair in front of Newgate's table, while Newgate takes a look through his window to observe the after party. Then, he sits on his leather chair and puts his hands on the table.

"So, what is the matter, my son?" He speaks, and Ace feels a bit shy for being called his 'son'.

"Why do you call us your sons and daughters?" Ace speaks, asking the question which he didn't intend to ask.

Newgate shrugs. "Because you are my family. I've never had a family of my own, and this fraternity – or whatever you youngsters call it these days – have been my closest companions. Whenever I'm with you, I always feel at home."

"I see," is what Ace replies of that question. In the concern of Ace's hypersensitive eyes, Whitebeard smiles.

"Can I ask something then?" he says, and Ace nods. "How do you find the Whitebeard's so far?"

Ace shrugs. "They're nice people, though I found them….odd, at first," he admits. "I've never really seen people who're...not by the book."

Newgate raises his eyebow, beckoning Ace to explain further.

"It's like – how can I say this…" Ace scratches his head. "They don't act like what I've read in my books. They defy everything that I've learned about the ABO system and it's – "

" – overwhelming, is it?" Newgate continues, to which Ace nods. "I know what you mean. As a former traditionalist, I always thought that everything should've been in accordance to the ABO system. It's so simplistic that it's easy to follow, so it's the best rule to follow – that's what I thought. But, then I met Thatch and Marco when these children were just in middle school, and I realized that something so simple might not be good for everyone."

Ace's eyes begin to ache, but he opened his ears to listen to Newgate's story.

"As you might know, Thatch and Marco are both Alphas, yet, they chose to fall in love with each other. According to the ABO system, that is something unnatural. And because of that, Thatch and Marco chose to run away from their families at such a young age – that's how I met them. I used to work in a construction company, and those two boys worked as labourers in exchange for bits of food and cash. They were uneducated and their parents, fervent followers of the ABO system have shunned them. No-one in the company talked to them except for each other because of their circumstance. I thought they were disgusting," Newgate shakes his head, as if recalling a bad thought. "If I had a time machine right now, I'd go to that exact moment of time and slap my old self for thinking so badly of my children."

Newgate continues. "One day, Thatch had an accident at the sight. He had cut himself while doing the work of one of the workers. The cut ran across his temple and it was bleeding profusely. No-one wanted to rush him to the hospital, so my boss ordered me to go with Thatch and Marco, who wanted to tag along, to the hospital. And because of that, I got close to the young'uns. I listened to their laughter, to their cries, to their story, and soon, I began seeing him as persons. Then I began questioning why they can't be seen as one according to the ABO system.

"For an old, traditional coot who believed that ABO system was the law of all things, it was a hard transition for me. Imagine, working a lousy job that earned me half of what a full-time worker owns, while questioning my beliefs and priorities. My body had to do hard labour as well as my mind, just to answer those complicated philosophical questions. Plus, I was struggling to put Thatch and Marco in a good school, so they can at least finish high school. And because of my involvement with them, I met more and more people who can't be seen as 'people' because they violated the rules of the ABO system. Then I realized, no matter how right the ABO system is, if they can't be good for everyone, then it shouldn't be.

"Even now, I don't know if the ABO system is true or not. But, if it casts away my children like that, then I refuse to accept it as it is." Newgate finally finishes, and rubs a tear off his eye. "Oh! I'm sorry, I began to rattle about things," he gives a boisterous laugh. "Your grandpa just loves telling stories."

"It's fine," Ace says, and even though his eyes are acting up again, it doesn't matter. He knows Pops is here. "That was…very enlightening, really."

"Well, I'm glad you liked that story," Pops says. "By the way, didn't you say you wanted to talk to me about something?"

"Oh, yeah, um…" Ace begins. "I wanted to ask you how you became a leader despite being a Beta, but I just realized that's a stupid question."

"Gurararara!" Pops laughs. "I don't think that's a stupid question! In fact, I'm so happy to hear that you think I'm a leader!"

"But you are!" Ace says. "How can you command so many people?"

"Ace, I'm no leader. Those people aren't my followers. This whole fraternity is my family, and we try to be as a manageable family as we can be!" Pops replies. "I'm not cut out of being a leader. Being leader means making rough decisions for the benefit of everyone – I can't do that! I have the tendency to spoil my children! Gurararara!"

"I see," Ace says. "Do you think Betas can be leaders?"

"Boy," Pops begins. "Anyone can be leader as long as they have the will to serve their people and have the capacity to be stern and caring at the same time. Leadership doesn't depend on what kind of genome they have. I've seen Alphas who drove their companies to the ground and Omegas who commanded _legions_! There are a lot of people in this world that would surprise your virgin ears, son!"

"Really?" Ace says, his curiousity piqued. "Can you…tell me more about it?"

Pops grins. "Son, go and fetch some popcorn from your brothers. Tonight, I'm telling you every person I've met that would put that put that science book of yours to shame!" And it did.

After an hour or so of hearing stories from a wise old geezer known as Pops, a surprisingly sober Marco knocks and enters the room. On his face is warm and knowing smile. "Pops, it's time to go to bed. You have some meetings tomorrow,"

"Is that so? Pity," Pops comments. "Go now lad. Let's have this chat again some time."

When Pops leaves to his quarters and Marco and Ace are left alone, Ace stops. Marco looks at him, inquisitively.

"I kind of realized that I was a jerk for a long time. I don't know if you know this but I judged you and Thatch for…being in love with each other, and that's wrong," Ace says, his eyes cast down. "I'm sorry."

Marco stares at him for a minute, throws his head, and laughs. "So, Pops told you about that story, huh?" Ace nods. "I never knew that you're that judgemental type, but I appreciate your apology. Not many would do that if they were in your shoes." Then the blonde Alpha reaches towards Ace and pats his head. "But, now it's time to forgive yourself."

* * *

As the 2nd division commander of the Whitebeards, Ace has a duty to watch the track and field marathon of Alabasta. Numerous people from here and there have travelled far to compete, including the notorious Crocodile whom the traditionalists heavily invested. Among these competitors, Luffy looks so small. But, to Ace's eyes, he has grown. Never has an Omega have the sharpest and most determined glint in their eyes. Ace feels outmatched; how can Luffy grow to have such a better vision than him?

But then again, this is Luffy, and he moves beyond boundaries.

When the gun is shot and the runners are in a blaze, Luffy moves past them all in swift and graceful strides. Everyone in the stadium stands to see this small being beat these strong Alphas, and Ace has difficulty trying to keep track of Luffy's figure with his eyes and the sun blaring down on him. But, he doesn't his sight; Luffy is moving further and further away.

And he wins.

Horns sound, confetti fall, Luffy's friends rush towards the finish line to embrace him with all their might. Luffy wins, Monkey D. Luffy wins, an Omega wins. And with that, a historic moment is born.

Luffy has moved on so far that Ace feels like he needs a lot of catching up to do. He really does.

So, the next day, with Marco's recommendation, Ace goes to the ophthalmologist to get his prescription glasses for his eyes.

"About time," Dr. Chopper says as Ace tries his new glasses. "You shouldn't endure bad eyesight. It'll just make your vision worse," he writes something on his notepad. "So, what do you think?"

Ace blinks. He smiles as the smaller letters that looked like blobs to him now becomes visible as letters like those on the high tier. "I'm good, doc. This is exactly what I needed." Dr. Chopper sighs in relief and turns to his desk to write some prescription medicines for him.

As Dr. Chopper is away, Ace fetches his phone and opens his social media account. Luffy's photo immediately appears on his home feed – the loveable omega holding a medal while his family and friends are surrounding him with victory poses. Ace feels an odd surge of excitement for seeing the Omega for so long. He breathes in and out before typing on the comment box: 'Congratulations Luffy!'. He then quickly works on a meaningful letter containing all his feelings to the person he loved – and still loves – with all his heart.

It's as if Ace finally worked his courage to walk towards Garp who guards the picket fence and says: _I've done my part to make amends. And it's time for me to face the judge._

When Ace goes home to their dorm, Ace finds out that Luffy has seen the message, but didn't reply back. Ace smiles bitterly; this is all part of the judgement, but he has done everything he can to be forgiven.

**OOOOoooOOOO**

College is a precursor to a new chapter of one's life, though if it to be a smooth transition, they have to take the right track. And despite Ace's successes in the field of Genetics, it seems that it's not the right one for him.

Though after taking that supplementary literature class where he was praised for his analysis of The Legend of Lady Moda, it seems that a new road has opened up for him.

And that is what it took for Ace to shift from BS Genetic Sciences to AB Literature.

It's a difficult course, more difficult than Genetics, because every concept can become literal or abstract. Compared to Genetics, Literature is water that takes any shape of its container. It's a different environment and he spends reading at least 30 literatures per week, but he actually enjoys this. No pressure to study (relatively, at least), no fear of failing. He learns new things, but ends up knowing nothing at all – and it's fun.

While he is re-reading The Legend of Lady Moda, a knock sounds from the door and Teach tears his eyes from the magazine to look at it.

"Ace – " he begins, but is cut off with a glare from Ace. Teach slumps as he removes himself from the comforts of his bed and walks to the door. Sounds of unlocking reverberate through the air until a familiar scent wafts through his nose. Ace stills.

"Uhhh, who are you?" Teach asks, though the person before him ignores the question and peers through his body. "Hey hey, you – " But he gets cut off again when Ace shoves him away. Ace is face-to-face with the young guest, who looks like he has just won the marathon.

Luffy doesn't give Ace the chance to speak and glomps the Alpha with his strong, lithe arms. "You stupid head!" he sobs. "Why didn't you just visit me and said your apology properly?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Ace says, hugging his Omega and taking a sniff of his scent. It is mixed with his. "But I tried to make things right."

"There's nothing broken to make right," Luffy says, craning his neck so Ace can take his scent better. Then he removes his face from the crook of Ace's neck and smiles. "Because I already forgave you."

At those words, Ace remembers their first meeting and laughs. Luffy pouts and kisses him on the cheek, and all is forgiven.

"Let's go home."

**End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay it's done. But, I know that there are a lot of things still unsolved, like if Garp will wake up from his coma or what happened to Sabo. Though, this is the final end, I might write some small chapters to tie the loose ends, since the focal point of this story is Ace's improvement. In the small chapters, Luffy and Ace's relationships will definitely expand, but this chapter ends with Luffy and Ace being romantically involved.


	4. A continuation?

Hi guys!

Okay, so I've given this fic I read and decided that "wow this is totally unfinished."

I had to admit that the third chapter was really rushed. There were a lot of things that I want to show, but given my mental health condition last year, I kinda had no choice. But, now that I'm sort of better and putting the pieces of my life back together, I've decided to continue this fic.

Yay! Aren't you super excited?

Continuation will feature the following:

  * The Return of Sabo
  * Garp and his coma
  * Dragon and Whitebeard in action
  * Ace's journey to absolute forgiveness
  * Love rivals?
  * Romantic Acelu development
  * _**And a lot more**_



The next chap will take a few days (if not weeks) to be written, so stay tuned!

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading and stay tuned for the next installment :)


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